Katherine Schaffer: A Summer Intern Experience with AKCG
1.Can you describe your internship experience at AKCG?
I interned at AKCG from May to August 2026. My internship experience at AKCG was so incredibly impactful and really solidified my goal for a career in PR! I loved being able to watch how an agency operates on a day-to-day basis.
During my time I developed my skills on how to write pitches, media alerts, and press releases. I also learned how to perform newsroom calls, sat in on client calls, create media lists, and editorial calendars. In addition, I was introduced and trained in how to use several different software programs.
The whole experience in general is something that can’t be replicated in a classroom setting!
Everyone on the AKCG team is so willing to help you learn and expand your skill set. Throughout my experience, I truly looked forward to every day and helping to serve our clients!
2. What information/experience did you find most rewarding during your time at AKCG?
I found it incredibly rewarding to be fully integrated with a few clients! Focusing on a few clients and truly being immersed in their work and understanding their goals was so beneficial. Attending our internal weekly client meetings and sitting in on client calls was so rewarding and insightful. It really made me feel as though I was seen as an asset to the AKCG team.
3. Can you describe one of your favorite projects you worked on?
One of my favorite projects was a story I worked on for one of our senior living clients. I drafted the media alert on one of my first days of the internship. Throughout the summer I got to see in real time the process of editing, making newsroom calls, placement, and then finally upscaling the pitch to a national level. It was such an awesome project, and so valuable to be able a part of the entire process and hear feedback from everyone on the team.
4. What advice would you give to future AKCG interns?
Make sure you ask a lot of questions and engage in active listening. Some of the times where I learned the most were just by taking in the structure of meetings and calls and then asking why AKCG does things that way! It’s so much better to ask for help if you don’t know something than try to figure it out on your own. Everyone who works here has incredible insights and advice for someone starting out in the field, and they are all amazing resources!
Conclusion:
Katherine is a senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst studying journalism and political science with a minor in history. Katherine interned with AKCG from May to August of 2026. When she’s not at school, Katherine calls Haddonfield, New Jersey home.
Have a great senior year!
