Carlyssa Pfennig gains clarity through Emerging Prairie Internship

In a quest to find her calling and get some workplace experience, junior Carlyssa Pfennig interned this past summer as a communications and marketing assistant for Emerging Prairie in Fargo, N.D. Emerging Prairie is a nonprofit organization that works to highlight founders, creators, innovators, and community builders across the region through programming and hosting events.

As a communication studies major at MSUM, Carlyssa was greatly influenced by her time with Emerging Prairie. Carlyssa was tasked with assisting on personal outreach, promoting community events like TEDxFargo and StartupBREW, and amplifying the speakers and their experiences.

BS in Communication Studies

StarupBREW is a weekly event showcasing entrepreneurs and other community members to spotlight their entrepreneurial journeys.  

Along with promoting and putting on StartupBREW events, Carlyssa also promoted and worked with TEDxFargo, a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Here, Carlyssa helped organize events and listen to influential speakers like actor Josh Duhamel.

Carlyssa’s internship taught her something new every day. “Some days, I spend the morning at StartupBREW, listening to entrepreneurs talk about their journey while starting up their businesses, some days are full of meetings, and other days I'm left to be creative with my projects. I am constantly checking our social media and interacting with our followers, which is my favorite part.”

Carlyssa’s internship has provided her with varied opportunities to learn new skills. “Many of the things I do daily were unfamiliar to me when I first started. I have learned technical skills such as how to work Adobe InDesign and Canva, and soon I will get into grant writing, giving me an opportunity to work with the financial side.”

Along with learning new skills, Carlyssa faced new challenges, like stepping out of her comfort zone, but she was resilient and felt motivated by her coworkers and the environment around her.

“Emerging Prairie has been the best steppingstone for me. Everyone is so supportive and the atmosphere at the office continues to inspire and motivate me to try new things. Every person works so hard, and they all share the same goal of supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem and continuing to make our community closer.” 

The skills and knowledge Carlyssa gained as an intern will be invaluable for advancing her career and supporting future endeavors. Most importantly though, Carlyssa will hold on to the feeling of authentically engaging with the community to foster a sense of togetherness.

Why an internship? 

Many students question whether they should do an internship before graduating. Carlyssa believes, “Internships are so important to know you have interest in the career field; it allows you to try more things and get comfortable without having to commit fully to the career.”

“This internship has given me the opportunity to learn more about myself and the things that I am capable of doing. I have been equipped with real-world experience and am confident in the path I am heading in.”

Carlyssa was not sure what career path she wanted to pursue. She began her freshman year as a social work major and later an early education major. She wanted to help people but wasn’t quite sure how. She eventually declared a communication studies major with a minor in marketing.

To find this internship opportunity, Carlyssa constantly looked at the internship opportunities sent over email. She also visited the Career Development Center to further narrow her search by taking part in career exploration. The Emerging Prairie internship piqued her interest, so she discussed it with her professors and drafted a resume with their guidance.

Going into the work world can be intimidating. Carlyssa’s best advice: “Don’t be afraid to try something new. The communication studies and marketing fields are incredibly diverse, use this to your benefit. Try anything and everything, don't be afraid to make mistakes and dive right in with your head held high.”

Carlyssa’s tip to maximize success:

1. Find an accountability partner. You cannot work to the best of your ability alone, so make sure to have someone who is aware of your goals and is going to motivate you.
2. Set short-term goals to help you breakdown larger and more general goals. Let your short-term goals be the building blocks to your end goal whatever that may be.
3. Create a LinkedIn profile and post. Not many students are active on LinkedIn, but employers are constantly looking and seeing who is making an effort. Get yourself out there!