Internship with Learning Disabilities Association of America Leads to Full-Time Job for 2020 Multimedia Grad Lauren Clouser

Meet Lauren Clouser

Job Title & Employer: Marketing and Development Coordinator, Learning Disabilities Association of America
Major/Program: Multimedia
Minor: Photography
Graduation: 2020
College Activities: The Globe, WPPJ, Writing Center Tutor, Honors Program, International Media Trip
Scholarships: Vice Presidential, Vincent J. LaBarbera
Hometown: Elizabethtown, Pa.
High School: Elizabethtown Area High School
Now Living In: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Dream Job: A photographer for cat-themed calendars
Hobbies & Interests: Knitting, weaving, writing, gardening, reading

"In multimedia, or any adjacent field, it’s essential to get outside experience. It’s one thing to learn and practice something in a classroom, but it’s another to use those same skills in a work environment. Internships are a great way to see what work you enjoy and what you don’t, and you never know what connections can lead you to a career you love!"

Lauren Clouser

As a recent graduate, tell us how your internship led to a full-time job at Learning Disabilities Association of America.

Right after graduating in April of 2020, I got the opportunity to intern at LDA because they needed help launching their new podcast. The longer I interned with them, the more I was able to help with other areas of marketing, and the more the end date for my internship kept extending. I was offered a full-time marketing position with them in September.

What are your key responsibilities as a marketing and development coordinator?

I design and plan posts for social media, promote LDA events, edit the LDA podcast, create promotional materials, make e-blasts, produce videos and help with other day-to-day tasks.

Why did you choose Point Park University to study multimedia and photography?

I chose to study at Point Park because I was impressed by the amount of current experience the professors had. Many professors in the School of Communication are still working in their fields and are able to provide up-to-date information about the industry and help us make important connections. I was also so excited to get to study in a city where so many opportunities are just a bus ride away.

You completed three internships as a student. Speak to the importance of gaining valuable internship experience in your major.

In multimedia, or any adjacent field, it’s essential to get outside experience. It’s one thing to learn and practice something in a classroom, but it’s another to use those same skills in a work environment. Internships are a great way to see what work you enjoy and what you don’t, and you never know what connections can lead you to a career you love!

What advice do you have for prospective students?

It’s been said before, but take advantage of every opportunity you have. Join all you can, try all you can and apply for all you can. You never know what different experiences will lead you to.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today without some amazing professors who truly went above and beyond to help me succeed.

Internship with Learning Disabilities Association of America Leads to Full-Time Job for 2020 Multimedia Grad Lauren Clouser Alumni Profile