Author: Brie White, Staff Writer

Any Wofford student could tell you that interim provides plenty of opportunity. From traveling, to interning, to taking a class that seems unheard of, the month of January provides the chance to broaden horizons. The short period makes whatever you choose time efficient and the perfect taste of an experience that wouldn’t be possible without interim.

My interim was Learning Work, under staff instructor Dr. Carol Wilson, and both learning and work took precedence in my four-week long internship. I spent the month shadowing and assisting Holly Holladay (graduate of Wofford in 2011) who owns and operates her own publishing company, Holladay House Publishing. I went in knowing that publishing was a field I was interested in, but post the experience I can confidently state that publishing is a lot more than I thought it was (And for that matter, a lot more than I think most people realize).

Holly wasn’t a slave driver, and didn’t demand that I dress a certain way or deliver anyone coffee. Instead, I spent the month gaining perspective about a business that I thought I already knew a lot about. We took photos for a book cover, balanced inventory both financially and literally, worked on media, advertising, promotion, publicity and talked a lot about how all-encompassing publishing is. There is the creation of both a product and a market. I did more than get my feet wet; I dove head first into an environment that enriched my education. It was surprising and rewarding for me to see that I really had very little knowledge of a profession that I considered one of my most viable options post graduation. I’m grateful to Holly for that opportunity and to Wofford for making the internship possible.

Caroline Moseley was also a participant in the Learning Work interim. A Wofford junior, she interned in a similar fashion but in an area that suited her anticipated career path. She spent the month of January working in Charleston, S.C., at Imagine Physical Therapy office. Describing her time there as “enriching” and “enlightening,” Caroline detailed day to day tasks she completed during her shadowing. Eventually, she was included in treatment plans that allowed her to work with patients in a hands on manner, completing stretches and demonstrating exercises.

In terms of the future, Caroline agrees that the interim internship gave her the chance to test the waters, working day in and day out in a field that is what she anticipates for her career.

“The experience solidified my decision to pursue physical therapy,” Caroline says. “I’m encouraged to keep working towards my goals of physical therapy school,”

The internship provided Caroline with motivation to get through the GRE this semester and confidence in her life path. My internship provided me with much needed perspective and the ability to conceptualize a career that interests me. Both of these opportunities, though different, were beneficial and informational—a true testament to the power of interim.