The Gaithersburg -Germantown Chamber staff with their 2019-2020 intern, Megan Causey. Causey is a senior at Northwest High School.
The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce (GGCC) is delighted to introduce you to its 2019-2020 academic school year intern Megan Causey. The Chamber is so honored to be able to participate in the Montgomery County Public Schools Internship program. It is a wonderful opportunity for the students to get hands-on experience and learn about the “real world”. If you have the capability to take on an intern, please contact a local high school and get involved. Our Director of Marketing, Laura Rowles, mentors the students and instills valuable first-hand knowledge of potential future career paths. It is truly rewarding.
Now a little bit about Megan in her own words.
Hi, my name is Megan Causey. I am currently a senior at Northwest High School and Vice President of the National Academy of Finance at my school. I will be attending Salisbury University Honors Program in the fall of 2020 majoring in business, and hopefully I will be accepted into Salisbury Perdue School of Business. Through the Academy of Finance, I have been exposed to various courses such as entrepreneurship, accounting, financial planning, and banking and credit. I have found that these classes have given me a great introductory foundation.
Dedicating your time to an internship offers an array of new and exciting opportunities. While there are other students who are interning at various businesses, I have still been considered an “oddball” among my peers. While most kids my age dedicate their senior year to having fun, I have been committed to building my resume and making a name for myself in the business world. I have always been told that in order to achieve your goals, you must create open doors to walk through. Being offered this intern position was like being given a golden key to unlocking a new door to my future. Will I succeed or fail?
Before becoming an intern at The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce (GGCC), my only knowledge on how a workplace was run was based upon the popular TV series, The Office. I quickly learned that this was not how a professional work environment operated. Throughout this experience, I have learned that I enjoy legislative work. Some days I get to attend networking events where I meet a lot of amazing people; and other days I have been permitted to sit in on City Council meetings where new bills are being presented. I have also witnessed that forming business relationships is a big aspect in any work-related field that you are in. I’m so excited to continue with internships through a college program.
My mentor, Laura, made transitioning into my first professional job welcoming and pleasant. She pushed me to do things that I did not think that I was capable of doing, and introduced me to new tasks that I overcame. I admire both her work-ethic and her compassion towards others. I would not have picked anyone else to help guide me through my time here at the GGCC.
It has been gratifying to see how far I have come since September of 2019 (when I first started). I feel that internships are an important step, and everyone should undergo at least one in their lifetime. It is a great way to dip into the areas of interest and gain real-life experience. The experience pushed me beyond my comfort zones, and I have cherished the time here. Like the famous poet Geoffrey Chaucer said, “all good things must come to an end” and I am excited to start unlocking new doors. However, I will always treasure this opportunity that I have been very fortunate to have. #WearetheGGCC.
