Barnes Agency, a Huntington-based, full-service advertising, marketing and public relations firm, and Huntington-based Mountwest Community & Technical College, have entered a formal agreement that will allow for select graphic design, advertising and public relations students to be eligible for paid internships on a semester basis.
Billie Brooks, vice president for student services said, “This partnership is a wonderful opportunity for Mountwest students in these programs to get real hands-on experience, and we couldn’t be happier.”
Julie Terry, assistant professor of Graphic Design, said, “I’m impressed and delighted that Barnes Agency has made this commitment to student success. This partnership creates a significant bridge from school to the workplace for our students. The Barnes’ are offering a priceless opportunity for students to shadow an elite professional team, to be exposed to workplace experiences, and to be actively involved in client projects. Our students will gain invaluable career experience and material for their portfolios.”
Kendra Bolen, associate professor of Communications, said, “It’s an exciting time for students in the Public Relations concentration at Mountwest. The program is gaining more and more interest, and I believe a partnership like this will help to make the program even more desirable to our students and future students. I’m very excited for everyone involved.”
The partnership will provide students an opportunity to interview for the chance to not only fulfill Mountwest’s internship requirements for their majors, but also receive compensated hands-on experience with veteran marketing professionals in their chosen field prior to graduation.
“We are very excited about this partnership and look forward to witnessing the positive impact it will have on so many students at Mountwest moving forward,” said Barnes Agency President and CEO, Jeffrey M. Barnes. “Each year many students graduate in search of employment in their chosen field. We believe this partnership will strengthen their chance of landing a good job in the marketing industry after graduation.”
Mountwest offers two-year associate degree programs in 60 options, including graphic design, advertising, public relations and the emerging field of digital media. Many Mountwest students are non-traditional in terms of their age and have jobs and family obligations in addition to pursuing a degree.
“Many of our students are following a dream to complete a degree program in two years so they can be hired into better jobs after graduation, or be positioned to transfer to a university to finish a bachelor’s degree,” Brooks said. “It’s so important for our region to have businesses and institutions of higher education working together to create ladders of opportunity for people.”
In early 2015, Barnes Agency entered a similar internship agreement with Marshall University. Since then, Barnes Agency has provided paid internships to over eight students, some of whom have been hired by the agency. There are plans to hire more moving forward.
“This agreement with Mountwest, like the one we have with Marshall University, should help the institution in its enrollment efforts. In addition, it encourages students to do well in class by putting their best foot forward for a chance to participate in our very selective internship program,” said Barnes. “It also allows us as an agency to identify quality talent for the possibility of hiring them full time post graduation. As a result, everybody wins.”
For more information about Mountwest Community and Technical College visit www.mctc.edu. For more information about Barnes Agency, visit www.thebarnesagency.com.
