Emmi-Julia Lehtonen

I started as a communications intern for EduJyväskylä in the Communications and Community unit at the beginning of August, and my internship ends at the end of December. In this kind of five-month internship, you really get to become part of the work community and have time to learn and carry out a wide variety of tasks, including longer projects. 

EduJyväskylä is a cross-institutional study service between the University of Jyväskylä, JAMK University of Applied Sciences, and the Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia. It offers students opportunities to complement their studies across these three institutions. My workplace is at the University of Jyväskylä, but I work closely with all three institutions. 

I am in my final year of the Cultures and Communities in a Changing World (KUMU) program at the University of Jyväskylä. In my studies, I have focused on anthropology, sustainable development, and various themes related to social media. Even though I am not a communications professional by training, communications is strongly present in my interests, such as in my thesis, where I study the role of TikTok advertising in consumer behavior. 

My interest in communications began when I served as the communications officer for my student organization, after which I have developed my skills through both work and organizational activities. I have worked as a communications intern at the Finnish National Agency for Education and at the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Central Finland, and I have also been involved in communications and event organization in student associations. The internship at the University of Jyväskylä has been a perfect place to further develop and refine my skills in these areas. 

Diverse tasks keep me inspired 

My tasks include a wide range of communications work, such as producing communication materials and maintaining EduJyväskylä’s website. The Finnish Music Campus, which operates within EduJyväskylä, organizes many events, so my work also involves a lot of event communications, such as designing posters, assisting at events, and photographing. The best part of this job is that the workdays are often very varied, which is truly inspiring! A day can include anything from concert photography to designing graphics, creating social media content, and writing press releases. During my internship, I have especially developed my skills in graphic design by creating posters and logos and illustrating guides. 

As a student of the University of Jyväskylä, I was interested in seeing the university also as an employer, not just as a place of study. The Communications and Community unit, where I work, is a warm and welcoming work community, and it has been a joy to work there. From the very beginning of my internship, I have felt welcome and part of the team. 

Appreciating my home region 

I have lived my whole life in Central Finland, so sometimes one might overlook the beauty of their own home region. One of the absolute best things in Jyväskylä, however, is the Seminaarinmäki campus, where you can see each season at its finest.