{"id":14251,"date":"2026-07-15T12:26:22","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T16:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/?p=14251"},"modified":"2026-07-15T12:32:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T16:32:46","slug":"taking-the-road-less-traveled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/2026\/07\/15\/taking-the-road-less-traveled\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking the Road Less Traveled"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When you\u2019re early in your career, it\u2019s easy to focus on what looks good on paper \u2014 the polished internship titles, the well-known organizations, the kind of experiences people instantly recognize. But not every opportunity comes wrapped in prestige. Some of the most meaningful ones don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A seasoned communications professional once gave me a piece of advice I didn\u2019t fully appreciate at the time: \u201cTake the job no one wants.\u201d She explained that the less flashy, less obvious roles often spark the most growth. I didn\u2019t realize how true that was until I landed my first-ever internship at Indiana Humanities<\/a>, a small nonprofit in Indianapolis that funds and produces public humanities programming throughout the state of Indiana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I first learned about the organization through a student I interviewed for Butler University\u2019s student newspaper. I loved its mission and kept an eye out for opportunities. When I later saw a development internship posted on LinkedIn, I applied immediately, even though development and fundraising were outside anything I\u2019d done before. What I did have was writing experience and a liberal arts background that taught me to adapt quickly, think critically and communicate across many contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stepping into unfamiliar territory pushed me in all the right ways. I wrote a four-part donor welcome series, crafted fundraising appeals, conducted interviews to build donor profiles and drafted messaging for statewide matching campaigns. I even got to write a feature story for National Arts & Humanities Month and contribute smaller pieces like a book review and a magazine letter. None of it was traditional PR, but all of it strengthened skills that make me a more versatile communicator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along the way, I discovered something even more valuable: clarity. I learned what excites me, what doesn\u2019t and what I want my future career to feel like. Opportunities that pushed me outside my comfort zone helped me better understand where I can thrive and what kind of work actually energizes me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest lesson, though, came from something I never could have predicted. Midway through my internship, federal funding cuts hit the organization hard. Grants were paused, and staff members were laid off. It could have been a moment defined by discouragement \u2014 and in some ways, it was \u2014 but what struck me most was the resilience of the Indiana Humanities team. Mourning turned into laughter. Frustration gave way to determination. Their commitment to the humanities didn\u2019t fade; if anything, it deepened. Working alongside them taught me what mission-driven work really looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That sense of connection continued long after my internship ended. A few months later, Indiana Humanities\u2019 communications manager visited my PRSSA Chapter as a guest speaker. Hearing her share insights with my peers was a full-circle moment \u2014 a reminder that meaningful opportunities don\u2019t end the day the internship does. They follow you, shape you and show up again in unexpected ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I think about the road less traveled, that\u2019s what I picture: the quiet, unglamorous opportunities that shape you in ways the shiny ones sometimes can\u2019t \u2014 the kind of experience where you learn to adapt, think critically, roll with the unexpected and find a sense of purpose in the people around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My path to this internship wasn\u2019t linear. My college journey hasn\u2019t been either. But I\u2019m learning that the most meaningful experiences aren\u2019t always the ones everyone else is chasing. Sometimes they\u2019re tucked away in places you only find when you\u2019re willing to say yes to something different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s my advice to anyone navigating internships or early career decisions: Don\u2019t be afraid to take the opportunity that doesn\u2019t look perfect on a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 \u2014 the smaller organization, the unfamiliar role, the job that no one else is paying attention to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because sometimes the less obvious path isn\u2019t just a path \u2014 it\u2019s the one that shapes you most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Grace Wright is a recent graduate from Purdue University, with a degree in public relations and strategic communication and a minor in political science. She served on the Publications Subcommittee during the 2025-2026 term and as her Chapter\u2019s guest relations director. Beyond PRSSA, Grace interned at IU Health and was the president of Purdue\u2019s Student-run Firm. When she\u2019s not writing, you can usually find her with a good book in hand or surrounded by the people she loves. Connect with her on LinkedIn<\/a>! <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s my advice to anyone navigating internships or early career decisions: Don\u2019t be afraid to take the opportunity that doesn\u2019t look perfect on a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 \u2014 the smaller organization, the unfamiliar role, the job that no one else is paying attention to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":14252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2892,2894,1555,3776,3775],"tags":[75,2217,15,40],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t