Final Post

As I continue my time here with the WVU Business Incubator, I am completing a portfolio showcasing my work. It can be found here. I will finish my hours with the WVUBI soon, and I believe I will stay on next semester as a paid part-time student worker.

Week Nine - Contracts and Copy editing

WVU Research Corporation building.

The ninth week was definitely a change from the regular. On Tuesday, I was tasked with comparing two contracts to see if any significant changes took place. It was for the WV Small Business Development Center, and it was simply time for a new contract.
I had to go line by line to make sure it was the same, and if anything had changed, I had to make note of it. While this wasn't the most exciting challenge I've faced at the WVU Business Incubator, it was a simple task that I did not have to do any prior research for, which is nice

Thursday brought different challenges, as I was able to produce my first editing project! Dusty is nominating Chris Yura, founder and CEO of SustainU, for the Generation Morgantown 2010 Young Professionals award. Dusty asked Anne, a fellow (paid) intern to draft up a 200 word document stating Chris' nomination. I was then asked to edit it. Editing is one of my true passions, so to take this document and turn it into its full potential was really exciting for me.

It may have just been my favorite project all year. It's also for Chris Yura, so that may have a contributing factor.

I think Dusty was also happy with it, so I'm proud I did something I enjoy while also making my superiors happy.

This is my ninth week at the WVUBI, so my time is ending shortly. However, my time with this blog is ending now. I'm only required 10 posts, so this is my final. I'm glad I was able to reflect on what I've learned and do so on a deeper level. But until next time, blog, see ya.

Week Seven - Parking and Press Releases

Back Commons Area

As my internship winds down, I've realized I've done far more writing than I have been editing. When we were in class learning about putting together our poster presentation, I immediately decided I wanted one section devoted to writing and another to editing. I was trying to think back to how much editing I've done, but the only editing I've really accomplished is my own. Once I write something, I then go back and edit it.

That brings me to this week. I put the finishing touches on the press release for SustainU, and had it uploaded to the web here. I sent a completed version to Dusty, but there were tow extra things he was intereted in me adding. One, he thought the fact that SustainU expanded from one license to 50 licenses in less than a year is very impressive. Apparently, it is, but licenses are something that jump out at me, coming from a journalism/English standpoint. From Dusty's view, however, he being the lawyer that he is, licesnes are very important and show how accomplished he is. The other thing was to add his specific modeling company, Ford Models, because that's big time.

Now, I am working on another press release for Videntity, a company that recently won a $10,000 award for a developer challenge. Dusty is really exciting about this because apparently the tenant has been in one particular stage for awhile, and this extra money will help move the tenant forward. I'm only in the beginning stages of working on this press release, as I have to actually find out more about the company. It's a very complex company, and the challenge they won is very specific to this certain type of technology. It's a little hard to handle for those who aren't fluent in this area, so I'm basically attempting to translate the language for a regular audience at this point.

In the realm of personal business, I have to leave early due to the Thursday night football game against USF. It's not my choice -- I don't get to go; I'll be at work anyway. But when I came in, Jo told me we are all leaving at 3:30 because WVU sells the parking spots at the WVU Business Incubator lot for $20. This surprised me - I didn't know WVU could profit through selling out their own spots for the game. I thought that would be more like an official pass, sort of thing. Instead, it's like those people you see let others park on their lawn for $20. On the plus side, I have an early day! 

Week Six - PR and Personal Days

Main Commons Area

On Tuesday, I was in Las Vegas for a newspaper awards ceremony, so I worked remotely for the WVU Business Incubator. My large assignment this week was to finish work on the press release.

I was able to get ahold of Chris Yura, founder of SustainU, and I got some insight as to what his opinions were on his lecture and what he hopes his audience received from it.

It's very enlightening to talk to a person so full of passion, they could just go on and on about this company they are so proud of. That is Chris. He is very excited about this cause he has devoted himself to, and it really shows.

This is the part I love about my job. Journalism has been and always will be my first love. Nothing makes for a better interview than when a person is so full of life and energy, they make me want to be a part of their cause, too. That takes talent, and their excitement rubs off on me in the form of the press release I write.

While I got a basic draft completed Tuesday, I devoted today to chatting with Chris to get a better perspective. He is a great public speaker, and I got some great quotes to use instead of the canned ones that have already been run through the PR machine.

I really like writing press releases. Not only are they easy because they are completely biased, but they are much more fluffy and feature-y. I'm able to get more creative and think of the people who are reading this. I can get into their mindset and think about what they want to hear - not what they should here. Besides that, they are fun topics. SustainU is basically saving the world, and I'm able to help spread that message.

Week Five - Researching and Releases

WVU Business Incubator Conference Room

As Week Five comes to an end, I really think I've learned a lot so far. I've learned the basic essentials for many typical documents in a variety of businesses.

These documents have made me take into account the audience that will read them (some for professionals, some for the average Internet browser) as well as the tone we are trying to portray (very professional, but like a helpful parent).

For this week, it was much more relaxed, and I appreciate that. Dusy knows I will be heading to Las Vegas this weekend, and he has given me more time to work on projects, and the deadlines have been more lax. This week, I worked on writing a press release for SustainU, a graduate tenant of the Business Incbuator.

The tenant spoke at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. This is good exposure for the company, as it will be posted on the front page of the WVU Business Incubator website. The first thing I need to think about is the audience - the people who will be reading this are probably Morgantown residents or attend WVU. But, it needs to be universal, as this will probably be sent out to multiple news sources (probably the DA, too. Eek). Most of my work up until this point has been listening to the lecture, researching the company and contacting people. Now, I need to put this whole document together! I really like writing press releases because you can be creative with them, so this is definitely a nice break from straight document work.

Hopefully he likes what I can produce - this will definitely look great on the front page, and it'll keep me on my toes.

Week Four - Patents and Paper

Entrance to WVU Business Incubator

I continued my work with the social media project. This time, however, I searched the web for patents.  I looked at major social networking sites to see which patents they were listed under. For example, Twitter and WordPress are both listed under (42) Use of internet for engaging in internet publishing. I basically compiled a bunch to see where this network would fall.

It was really interesting looking through the giants of social media (Facebook, Twitter, WordPress). I sometimes forget that much of this information is public, and we can, free of charge, look up who has patents and what their use is.

Not only is this helpful with my internship, but this helps me elsewhere. Being a journalist, I am constantly scouring the internet for information, and this is yet another resource I'll have to file away to use when necessary.

When I was searching for all these patents, I had to print them out after I found ones that matched. Well, I sent about 20 documents to the printer. When I went over there, I realized only two printed, and Matt had to fix the printer for me.When I said everyone here wears many different hats, I wasn't joking. Matt = graphic designer, website designer, technology, printer fixer.

The other document I spent a lot of time on this week was a service agreement for one of their tenants: Scientific Arts. This is basically drafting a document the tenant can give to clients that says what the type of work will be, arrange payment and deadlines.

This is such a basic document that any business at some point needs. It's fantastic I am getting to work on these things. This new skill set is so diverse, and I've already worked with a number of different documents. I can't wait to try some more.

My photo is also now on their website. Yep, pretty embarrassing. But, I'm definitely a part of the group now.

Week Three - Terms and Talking

WVU Business Incubator logo

I continued working on terms and conditions this week. We moved further into the editing and revising stage. I gathered a bunch of different samples (like 50 to be exact) and mushed them all up to take bits and pieces from each one, depending on what I liked best.

Now, I am slowly sifting through to get rid of everything I don't need and narrowing it to a specific focus. Dusty is looking over them, and I made edits to hopefully get a working version completed by next Tuesday.

He sent the split letter to the tenant last week and is waiting to hear back. I will most likely be doing a lot of editing Tuesday between these terms and conditions and the split letter. Fortunately, I love editing. I enjoy the whole researching stage as well, but I really like digging in to get that finished product. This could be said about my passion for the newspaper industry, as well. I always prefer editing over actually writing.

Why? Maybe because I'm a perfectionist. I like taking this rough document/article/whatever and shaping it to become something that can be used as a legal document/piece of literature/whatever. I like having that helping hand in making something complete.

The environment here is becoming more comfortable, too. Just today, I had my picture taken for the website. Unfortunately it monsooned here, so my hair is a hot mess, but regardless, having my photo on the website makes me feel more included in this small family. Whenever it is updated, it will appear here: http://wvubi.com/staff/.

Along those same lines, I've been talking with the other intern, a corporate services intern. I can honestly say I like every single person I work with. They all have these different characteristics, and everyone just seems to mesh well together so well. Dusty is the head honcho and very goal-driven. Jo is like a mother, but she is the accountant. Matt does all graphics/tech/photography necessary, and the other intern, Anne, works with marketing. I deal with writing and editing. We all have our little niches, and I like it this way. Beyond how talented they are, they are fantastic people. I feel at home, and I'm now just ending week three.

Week One

WVU Business Incubator

For my first week with the WVU Business Incubator, I interned for 10 hours. Although I was showed around when I first interviewed, this time, I was able to go to my own cubicle (which is huge), and get my computer log-on.

When the managerial paperwork was completed, my first task when I went in on Tuesday was to determine my schedule for the remainder of the semester. At first, I thought this would simply be Tuesday from 1:30 to 6:30 and Thursday from 12:30 to 5:30. Sounds simple, right?

Well, Dusty informed me that I should write down every Tuesday and every Thursday and the exact amount of hours I will work. He's a smart guy - I really liked this idea. I wrote down the hours for every Tuesday and every Thursday for the rest of the semester, and I saw that certain days conflicted. For example, I can't work on Election Day (Nov. 2) because WVU is closed.

So, I have my entire schedule for the internship, and we have worked out the exact number of hours I need. I'm happy I won't have to be frantic when I realize something falls on a Tuesday or Thursday because we have back-up days, and I have already allotted for the days I know I won't be available. This gives me a great sense of ease, and I put it in this nifty calendar format that I think Dusty appreciated.

On Thursday, Dusty and I talked about a list of tasks I can begin. I'm very excited because they are all very interesting - such as creating a document that transfers rights of a song from one party to another, helping a nonprofit develop bylaws and a marketing plan for an up-and-coming company. These are all new to me, and I just want to jump in.

We decided, however, to begin with a social media project. A woman wants to begin a community blogging site for women who suffer with breast cancer. Her mother had breast cancer and documented her journey with the disease in a series of journals - this is what inspired the girl to create this community type of therapy. To begin, she needs a working "terms and conditions." (To protect the privacy and so the site wouldn't be held accountable for private information). I spent hours researching various sites' terms and conditions that are similar to what this site would be, such as other community blogging sites, Facebook and Twitter. I have complied these into about a 50 page document, and I believe I will be whittling these down and taking the portions that apply to use to make a working document for this new company.

I think there are a lot of fun things planned (fun, that is, according to an English/Journalism major), and I am ready to really get cranking the second week.

Beginning

I came about my internship with the WVU Business Incubator in a strange way. I actually applied for an internship there for summer 2010. I was searching for internships at that time, and I saw they took on professional writing and editing interns. I decided to apply; however, my internship with USA Today came along, and I spent much of my summer in McLean, Va.

A week before school started, I heard back from the Business Incubator and they asked if I was still interested. I mentioned that I did, in fact, have to have an internship for my PWE capstone and they replied that they have worked with my capstone coordinator, Scott Wible. After an interview, I successfully have an internship with the Business Incubator that I hope to start this week.

I need to finalize my schedule and the contract, but I'm very excited to get going, and I wanted to provide some background as to why I'm blogging about my experiences.