Melissa Asiedu, a fourth-year Media and Communication Studies student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), has described her internship at the University Relations Office (URO) as an eye-opening experience that broadened her communication skills, strengthened her confidence and introduced her to new career possibilities.

With an initial expectation of focusing on writing press releases and news articles, she was introduced to several other areas, including news presentation, photography, video editing, content creation and voice-over production.

“I thought I would mainly be writing press releases and articles, but I ended up learning about news publication, news presenting, photography, video editing, content creation and voice-overs,” she said.

One of her major challenges was news writing, a skill she thought she had already mastered. However, regular feedback from her supervisor helped her identify weaknesses and improve her work.

“I thought I already had a good grasp of it, but my supervisor kept correcting my mistakes whenever I wrote a story. Those corrections helped me improve my writing skills and made me realise that there was still a lot to learn, even in something I thought I knew how to do,” she noted.

Beyond writing, Melissa discovered an unexpected interest in content creation, which has prompted her to reconsider her career plans, particularly in how organisations use social media to communicate with audiences and build their public image. She also developed an interest in voice-over production, which she initially tried out of curiosity.

Another memorable experience was her unexpected opportunity to present on the school radio. What began as a trial reading exercise with friends quickly turned into an on-air presentation, requiring her to manage her nerves and maintain her composure.

“I had to remain calm and maintain my tone even though I was shaking inside,” she recounted.

The experience taught her to embrace unfamiliar situations and take opportunities even when she did not feel fully prepared.

Melissa also said the internship strengthened her interpersonal and teamwork skills. Working with colleagues who held different opinions taught her to communicate her ideas clearly while remaining open to other perspectives. She gained further insights into taking initiative, managing projects and working independently.

Reflecting on her experience, she said the internship had expanded her understanding of the communication profession and introduced her to abilities she had not previously considered.

“I went in focused on writing, but I came out having explored different areas of communication, discovered abilities I had not considered before and begun to rethink what I might want to do in the future,” she said.