The Peoria Civic Center has seen thousands of events, conferences, and shows since opening in 1982. It has also seen a few dozen interns and over the years, many whom have gone on to do great and mighty things. We are happy to stay in touch with those that have spent countless hours in our building before stepping out into the real world. Three of our own have kept us in the loop on their professional journey- Kate (Carroll) Cundiff, Rose Gray and Jenna Muhs. Here they are today.
Kate (Carroll) Cundiff
Kate was a part of the PCC team in 2014 in the Marketing Department. She now is a hop, skip and a jump away at the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council! Kate works as the Director of Workforce Solutions.
“I had no idea what I would pursue post-graduation. I knew I wanted to work in a place that would allow me to use my communication skills to make a difference in the community. Interning at the Peoria Civic Center definitely helped me achieve that goal!”
How the PCC prepared Kate: I learned a lot about social media and website development at the PCC. In fact, I helped develop and write content for the new PCC website! Since starting my position at the Greater Peoria EDC, I have worked with web developers to build sites for our 3 regional workforce programs.
“I learned about event planning! Even though I was interning for marketing / social media, the PCC still let me shadow Amy, the Event Manager, around for a few different events. I learned all the ins and outs of planning events at the PCC. In fact, I’m hosting our biggest event for thousands of 8th graders there this fall, so I get to continue working with Amy on that project!”
Kate’s advice: Explore different careers! Meet new people. Don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone and explore a field you may have never thought of pursuing. Get the experience while building your professional network. You never know where it might lead you.
Rose Gray
Rose spent her summer at the PCC in 2014 as marketing and events intern. Now she shines as the Event Manager for 23 City Blocks Catering in St. Louis. She is preparing to transition to the Account Coordinator in the Travel Opps Program at Fusion Marketing.
“The Peoria Civic Center helped prepare me for the position I’m in right now with setting an example for what the cultural standard is in the event industry. ”
Rose’s favorite PCC memory: Christmas in July and people running around the office in the Santa Suit!
“This type of career is something I’ve always wanted to do! The Civic Center helped me advance in my career most definitely!”
Jenna Muhs
Jenna interned for the PCC in 2014 and 2015 as a graphic designer. She now is in St. Louis working as a graphic designer for Monsanto Company.
“I never really pictured myself working for an agriculture company, but my current position has served as a great stepping stone in my career path. My experience as a graphics intern with Peoria Civic Center added some valuable art pieces to my design portfolio– helping me get the job!”
Jenna’s advice: Connect with your peers! Peoria Civic Center’s staff are so friendly and approachable that it creates an easy environment for networking and learning about their experiences.
“I am still surprised by how many projects I worked on during my internship have helped me in a professional setting. Peoria Civic Center gave me the opportunity to work on both print and digital design pieces, I was able to work with major show art like “The Book Of Mormon” and “Beauty and the Beast”, and I learned about production processes that will stay with me for a lifetime!”
For those thinking of interning here: You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. When I applied for the internship, I was worried about making the leap, but I soon found out that there is no reason to worry! PCC was such a great opportunity!
Internships in Event Management, Graphic Design, Public Relations, Marketing and Social Media are available year-round. For more information about an internship in Graphic Design, Marketing, Public Relations, or Social Media, contact Clare Zell. For more information about an internship in Event Management, contact Dan Evans.
Check back soon for more Backstage Access posts, blogs, videos and more!
backstage access 