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!