Campus View Internship (Week 7 & 8)

Throughout my internship at Campus View Church, I’ve gained a clearer understanding of my personal strengths and areas where growth is still needed, especially in the context of professional communication and ministry work. One of my biggest strengths has been my ability to write clearly, concisely, and with an intentional voice that matches the tone of the church. Whether I’m drafting social media captions, writing newsletter blurbs, or creating visual content, I’ve felt confident in my ability to communicate messages that are both informative and engaging. I’ve also found strength in stakeholder engagement—particularly in learning how to connect with our different audiences through tailored messages and media formats.

Another strength has been my adaptability in using communication tools like Canva, Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and InDesign as well and Instagram’s content management features. My comfort with digital platforms has helped me take initiative in content creation, meet deadlines, and offer creative solutions when challenges arise. In terms of team collaboration, I’ve learned to ask thoughtful questions, stay organized, and communicate updates clearly with my supervisor and ministry leaders. These habits have made me a reliable part of the team and helped build trust among staff members.

At the same time, this experience has revealed some key areas I need to improve on. One is in analyzing communication metrics and using that data to drive future strategy. While I can read engagement reports, I want to become more confident in interpreting them and understanding trends over time. I’ve also realized that I need more experience in public speaking and presenting ideas to a group. While it hasn’t been a major requirement of this internship, I know it’s a skill I’ll need in future roles—especially when leading projects or presenting communication plans. Additionally, while I’ve gained industry understanding in the nonprofit and faith-based communication world, I still have a lot to learn about long-term content strategy, campaign planning, and how to align messaging with organizational growth goals.

Looking ahead to future professional opportunities, I now understand that classroom knowledge must be paired with real-world experience. My courses provided a strong foundation, especially in writing, branding, and media design, but I need to actively seek out opportunities to apply that learning in new settings. To better prepare myself for the next step—whether that’s another internship or a full-time job—I plan to develop stronger data literacy, study best practices in digital communication across industries, and build a personal portfolio of work that demonstrates both creativity and strategy.

One of the biggest takeaways from this position is that communication is most powerful when it builds community. In a church setting, the goal isn’t just to inform—it’s to invite, uplift, and connect people with each other and with something greater than themselves. I’ve learned that authenticity, consistency, and intentional design can help foster that connection in subtle but impactful ways. This understanding has deepened my appreciation for the responsibility communicators carry, especially in organizations rooted in service and care.

What had the biggest impact on me as a developing professional was realizing how every detail matters—from the font on a graphic to the timing of a post. Being part of a team that values thoughtful communication has challenged me to be more detail-oriented and mission-driven. I now feel more prepared to take on roles that require not just creativity, but strategic thinking, empathy, and professionalism.

As I look toward what’s next, I feel ready to take on more responsibility in content planning and strategy development. I’m excited to expand my skills in storytelling, campaign building, and audience engagement. I want to continue working in spaces where communication makes a real difference—whether in ministry, nonprofit, or purpose-driven business.

To show my thanks to Campus View Church, I plan to finish my internship with the same level of excellence and intentionality I’ve strived for all along. I’ll be compiling a resource folder with templates, posting guides, and content examples that the church can continue to use after I’m gone. I also intend to write personal thank-you notes to the team members who mentored me, recognizing their role in helping me grow both professionally and personally.

Glimpse of what I worked on this week: I took several photo of members in our congregation and during service, as well as preped and posted new content to social media. Here are some of the posts/covers that I uploaded these past few weeks!

Campus View Internship (Week 5 &6)

During my time as a social media intern at Campus View Church, I’ve gained a much clearer understanding of who the church’s key stakeholders are. At the heart of the organization are its members—ranging from long-time congregants to first-time visitors—as well as staff, ministry leaders, volunteers, and the broader Athens community. Another important group includes college students and young adults who engage with the church seasonally or while they’re studying at the University of Georgia. Each of these groups has unique needs, expectations, and preferred ways of receiving information. Recognizing these differences has been crucial in learning how to communicate effectively and meaningfully through various platforms.

My work in this internship is directly tied to reaching and engaging these stakeholders. By managing the church’s social media accounts and contributing to the digital newsletter, I play a role in making sure everyone—from a college student visiting for the first time to a parent involved in children’s ministry—feels informed and welcomed. One example is the creation of targeted social media posts for upcoming events. If we are promoting a women’s ministry gathering or a youth retreat, the language, tone, visuals, and even the platforms we use vary depending on who we want to reach. In addition, the weekly newsletter must remain concise and accessible, prioritizing clarity and relevance so that stakeholders stay engaged rather than overwhelmed by too much information.

Throughout the internship, I’ve learned that certain communication strategies are more effective than others depending on the audience. For the general congregation, consistency and clarity are key. Posting at regular times and maintaining a consistent visual brand builds trust and makes it easier for people to find and follow information. For college students and younger stakeholders, storytelling and authenticity resonate more strongly. We’ve found that short videos, behind-the-scenes looks at church life, or casual Instagram stories often get the most engagement from this demographic. For parents and families, timely and direct email communication seems to be most effective. This has taught me that understanding your audience’s habits, priorities, and digital fluency is essential to good communication.

Before starting this role, I assumed all stakeholders would engage similarly with church communications. However, since being in the position, I’ve realized how diverse the needs and behaviors of our audience truly are. Longtime members often look for tradition, structure, and formal updates, while newer or younger members value flexibility, personalization, and digital accessibility. Understanding these nuanced differences has challenged me to tailor messaging styles, test new content formats, and think more critically about how to segment communication.

One of the key issues that Campus View Church continuously navigates is how to stay relevant and accessible while remaining rooted in its identity as a faith-driven community. Public perception is important—not in a corporate branding sense—but because it shapes how people feel about engaging with the church, whether in person or online. In a media-saturated world, the church wants to cut through the noise with genuine, inviting, and purposeful communication.

To address this, I’ve seen the church focus heavily on intentional content creation. From using unified visual branding to posting more personal content like testimonies or ministry highlights, the team prioritizes building relational trust online. We’ve also implemented planning tools, like content calendars and scheduling apps, to ensure a consistent presence and improve responsiveness. These efforts have contributed to a more cohesive and thoughtful communications strategy.

These challenges have pushed me to think more holistically about communication—not just as a tool for information, but as a way to build relationships, trust, and spiritual connection. I’ve learned that effective communication in a ministry setting requires both creativity and discernment. Balancing engagement with integrity, and relevance with reverence, is a tension I’ve become more aware of and one that continues to shape my approach as a communicator in faith-based environments.

Glimpse of what I worked on this week: I restructured and designed the template for the Sunday morning Bulletin to incorporate our new logo and colors. I also took several new photos of members in our congregation and during service, as well as prepared and posted new content to social media. Here are some of the posts/covers that I uploaded these past few weeks!

CV Bulletin Template.pdf

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Campus View Internship (Week 3 & 4)

When I accepted the social media and communications internship at Campus View Church in Athens, GA, I anticipated gaining experience in designing posts and writing captions for Instagram or Facebook. However, I did not expect the level of intentionality and strategy required in every aspect of the church’s communication efforts. From the tone of a caption to the consistency of weekly branding, everything must align with the church’s broader mission and values. I quickly realized that social media in a ministry context isn’t just about aesthetics or engagement metrics—it’s about fostering genuine connection, reinforcing spiritual formation, and serving the needs of a diverse and intergenerational congregation.

One area where I’ve found myself needing to grow is in the use of analytics to guide content strategy. While I am comfortable with creative tools and messaging, interpreting social media data is something I’m less confident in. I want to become more fluent in tracking engagement, reach, and impressions, and then using those numbers to make informed decisions about content planning and posting frequency. Additionally, I hope to improve my skills in video editing and short-form video production. With the popularity of reels and TikTok-style content continuing to rise, these are skills that are not only valuable in this internship but essential for long-term relevance in the digital communications field.

At the same time, I’ve been able to lean on some of my existing strengths throughout this internship. My background in writing and storytelling has helped me craft clear and engaging messages that communicate the heart of our ministries. I’ve also been able to use design platforms like Canva and Adobe Photoshop to develop content that is visually cohesive and fits within the church’s branding guidelines. Because of my previous coursework and projects, I understand how to write with voice and purpose, which helps me reflect the tone of Campus View in our external communications.

I’ve also come to see the value of learning from the people around me. The church’s communications director has already provided helpful feedback and insight into how communications can be both authentic and strategic. Conversations with ministry leaders have taught me how different departments within the church operate, and how important it is that all voices are considered in public messaging. Beyond the church staff, I plan to connect with communications faculty at the University of Georgia and fellow students who are interning in similar roles. These interactions could offer new perspectives, technical tips, or tools that I wouldn’t discover on my own.

To continue developing professionally, I am exploring additional resources such as webinars on church marketing, free certifications through platforms like HubSpot and Google, and podcast series that cover digital ministry trends. I also intend to study the social media accounts of well-known churches to better understand what successful engagement looks like in a faith-based setting. These steps can help me stay current, improve my craft, and become a more well-rounded communications professional.

Currently, I’m contributing to several projects at Campus View, including managing the promotion of upcoming fall events through social media and designing a recurring Instagram feature that spotlights staff and ministry leaders. I’m also helping restructure the weekly digital newsletter to make it more engaging and easier to navigate. With approval from my supervisor, I’ve taken the lead on creating content calendars and working on small-scale branding updates that reflect the church’s mission in a more unified and visually appealing way.

These experiences directly connect to what I’ve learned in communication theory and media writing courses. They’ve allowed me to apply concepts like audience segmentation, narrative structure, and message framing in a real-world setting. More importantly, they’ve helped me recognize the impact thoughtful communication can have—not just in growing an online presence, but in building a more connected and informed church community.

Glimpse of what I worked on this week: As I attend the Freshman/Transfer Orientations at UGA on behalf of Campus Views College Ministry, I decided to create a poster to display at our table. I also took several photo of members in our congregation and during service, as well as prepared and posted new content to social media. Here are some of the posts/covers that I uploaded these past few weeks!