About the Pearce Interns

Business and industry leaders place a premium on writing and communication skills. The state of South Carolina offers a generous supplement to the Life Scholarship for students majoring in math, science or engineering. The Pearce Scholars Program aims to match that supplement for students working in the fields of writing and communication.

The variety of opportunities within the Pearce Scholars Program also allows for students to pursue objectives most valuable to their educations and future careers. Whether through working as a Pearce Center Intern, a Writing Fellow or a member of the Client Based Program, the Pearce Scholars Intern Program benefits an incredible number of students on Clemson’s campus.

Become an Intern

Interested in applying to become a Pearce Intern? Applications are accepted twice per academic year near the end of each semester. Keep an eye on our socials for more information!

Apply to be an Intern

Meet the Spring 2024 Pearce Interns

Ashtyn Goff smiles at the camera and poses in front of a natural background.

Ashtyn Goff

English

ayra desai headshot

Arya Desai

English

Christina Arshansky smiles at the camera and poses in front of a natural background.

Christina Arshansky

Marketing

kathyrn taylor headshot

Kathyrn Taylor

Communication

Emily Scott smiles at the camera and poses in front of a natural background.

Emily Scott

Marketing

headshot of bailee tayles

Bailee Tayles

English

Kathryn Atkinson smiles at the camera and poses in front of a natural background.

Kathryn Atkinson

Marketing

headshot of katie denny

Katie Denny

Marketing

Lizzie Farrell smiles at the camera and poses in front of a natural background.

Lizzie Farrell

English

Kylee Butler headshot

Kylee Butler

Communication

Mary Provost smiles at the camera and poses in front of a natural background.

Mary Provost

Communication

McKenna Miller smiles at the camera and poses in front of a natural background.

McKenna Miller

Marketing

Olivia Almeida smiles at the camera and poses in front of a natural background.

Olivia Almeida

English

Pravi Bomrah smiles at the camera and poses in front of a natural background.

Pravi Bomrah

English

Lauren Schorfhaar headhot

Lauren Schorfhaar

Marketing

headshot of serena johnson

Serena Johnson

English

Taleah Holt smiles at the camera and poses in front of a natural background.

Taleah Holt

Management

Work Samples

Example of work sample created by interns entitled Pearce Center Interns’ Favorite Summer Reads.
Example of work sample created by interns entitled Famous Hispanic and Latinx Authors.
Example of work sample created by interns for First Baptist Church’s Faith Works series
Example of work sample created by interns for First Baptist Church’s Faith Works series
Example of work sample created by interns for Habitat for Humanity
Example of work sample created by interns for Habitat for Humanity
Example of work sample created by interns for Habitat for Humanity

Pearce Intern Reflections

Lawton Branham (2022-2023)

I became a Pearce Intern in Spring 2022, and throughout the past three semesters, I have
learned many professional skills and made lasting connections with my mentors and peers.

As a communication major here at Clemson, I wanted to take the knowledge I was learning
in the classroom and apply it to real-world situations. After following the Pearce Center on social media and doing some research, I decided to apply, and my experience has not disappointed me in the slightest. I can remember how nervous I was just sitting in on my first client meeting during my first semester, and now I have been a team lead on multiple different projects and lead countless meetings with Pearce Center clients. I have a newfound confidence when it comes to working in a professional environment thanks to this experience.

Throughout my internship, I have worked on many client projects, and each one has required different skills from me. I have been able to improve my writing and social media skills through working on projects like Tiger Tales, which I have led for the past two semesters, and also through Main Street Walhalla, which I had the opportunity to lead and work on. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone while learning new Adobe programs and videography skills working with the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. I also gained experience in event planning through planning a book publishing party for the second graders at Central Academy of the Arts. Each and every project I have taken on here at the Pearce Center has taught me new skills that I will use in my future career.

Working alongside other student interns at the Pearce Center has allowed me to learn how to communicate effectively and professionally with my peers. Everyone I have worked with has been nothing but positive and excited about the projects at hand. Teamwork is so important here at the Pearce Center, and learning how to work with others to create real-world
deliverables is crucial for getting the job done. Leadership is something else that I have had the opportunity to work on. I have taken the lead and responsibly on client projects and learned to delegate tasks while also taking responsibility for due dates and deliverables.

Overall, I cannot speak more highly of my time here at the Pearce Center for Professional Communication. My time as an intern has truly shaped my Clemson experience, and I will be forever grateful to my mentors and peers for teaching me so much. 

Emily Rose Campbell (2022-2023)

Emily Campbell smiles at the camera and poses in front of a blue wall.When I changed my major to English with a minor in media studies, I felt like I had finally found a place for myself and had figured out what I wanted to pursue, and my two semesters with the Pearce Center have thoroughly solidified and encouraged that feeling.

Before my internship with the Pearce Center, I would have never imagined myself as a team lead coordinating a campus organization’s magazine. I was nervous and anxious about the idea of being a leader, but with my amazing mentors Allison Daniel and Ashley Fisk, I was able to take on my first leadership role and gain invaluable experience that undoubtedly improved my confidence and communication skills. As a Pearce Intern, I have had the opportunity to flourish as a writer and journalist and to work with other passionate and intelligent individuals on our project teams. The connectivity and collaboration between other interns has been such a significant, fulfilling experience, and the type of teamwork I have had the pleasure of being a part of in the Pearce Center is exactly what I hope to find in the workforce once I graduate.

Olivia Almeida (2022-2023)

Olivia Almeida smiles and poses in front of a blue background.I am filled with excitement when I reflect on my last two semesters with the Pearce Center. I have learned so many things, not only about resume skills but also about myself. The internship with the Pearce Center has taught me many things, but to me, the most important thing I learned was figuring out what I like and dislike. I came to the Pearce Center intending to absorb everything, and as I finish my second semester, I am leaving with friends, experiences and skills that only this type of experience can expose me to. For the last few semesters, I have worked on a multitude of different client projects, including Emerson Rose Heart Foundation, Central Academy of the Arts, the Pickens County Humane Society and the UPIC magazine. Working on a few projects at once was overwhelming at one point. Still now, as I reflect, a little collaboration and communication go a long way to taking something from being intimidating to obtainable. I am so thankful for everything the Pearce Center has taught me, and I look forward to seeing what excitement the next few semesters will bring.

Pearce Intern Skill Review

The Pearce Intern program strives to equip our undergraduate interns with skills they will need in their academic and professional lives. These skills range from learning how to write professional emails to design-based skills in industry-standard software. Take a look below at the skills the 2022-2023 Pearce Interns felt most confident in after their internship experience.

Pearce Intern skill survey graphic featuring statistics on what Pearce Interns learned. Click the image for a full transcription.

Intern Project Summaries

The Pearce Center interns work with a variety of clients, both on and off campus, to produce communication deliverables ranging from flyers and graphics to social media audits. Read more about some of their projects below!

Tiger Tales webpage

Tiger Tales is a project that focuses on telling the stories of interesting people, businesses and clubs within the Clemson community. Each Pearce Intern was responsible for interviewing and telling the story of a person of their choosing in the Clemson area. In Fall 2023,  the team shared some fantastic stories of involved students, loved professors, local business owners and familiar campus faces. One of the highlights of last semester was watching one story in particular blow up. The story of Dave and Buddy reached over 7,000 people and expanded the account’s audience by gaining hundreds of new followers.

image of CAH logo

Last semester, a group of interns collaborated with the College of Arts and Humanities to complete two main projects for the college’s social media platforms. Every other week, the team would post a student-led interview onto the CAH Instagram. Each interview consisted of different CAH majors at all different stages of their college careers. In addition to this campaign, the team was in charge of conducting student-led interviews which were edited into a creative Instagram reel video highlighting different aspects of CAH. These included building tours, event highlights, and more!

Ripple of One Logo

In the Fall of 2023, the interns worked with a new client, Ripple of One. The team worked primarily under the guidance of Magan Messana and Stephanie Enders to accomplish a mutual goal— improving social media presence. The team did so by including their branding kit extensively, increasing the quantity of social media interaction and including eye-catching graphics with posts. Some members of the team also attended a graduation ceremony, taking pictures and recording the event. Lastly, the team worked to create trailer videos for the organization by editing through several video clips of existing footage. 

A volunteer wearing an "I heart Habitat" shirt works on a build on campus.

In the Habitat for Humanity project, interns worked directly with a client from the Habitat for Humanity Pickens County and focused on storytelling and recovering the organization’s online and social media presence. Team members met weekly with the client to establish and manage attainable deadlines for deliverables. Interns attended and/or volunteered at major off-site events hosted by the organization, such as the annual Homecoming build on Bowman Field, local partnership builds and family home dedications. Interns focused on conducting interviews with the organizations’ key figures and volunteers, writing and editing stories for their monthly newsletter and developing digital graphics for various media, including Instagram, Facebook and e-blasts.

A small child stands with his back to the camera with a blurred background. The Emerson Rose Heart Foundation is in the right corner of the photo.

Emerson Rose Heart Foundation works to increase awareness of congenital heart defects and support families with children affected by CHD. The Pearce Interns worked with the executive director and communications director to help manage social media, create promotional materials for events and create a seasonal newsletter for beneficiaries and donors. In Fall 2023, interns created content calendars aimed to achieve the organization’s goals of reaching more CHD families. Emerson Rose hosted connect events and a golf tournament in the fall, which interns attended to help plan and run the events. Their social media efforts are continuing into the Spring semester and include assisting the organization with their large Heart Month campaign in February.

Clemson UPIC icon featuring a Clemson paw

For the Fall 2023 semester, interns on the UPIC project team worked on the creation of the yearly UPIC magazine. The interns met with the client at the beginning of the semester to discuss expectations. The client sent a list of potential UPIC mentors, interns and story ideas that the interns used to collect information and schedule interviews. The interns conducted the interviews with the main goal of telling the story of the individual’s experience as a UPIC intern or mentor. The design lead intern used InDesign to create page designs for the magazine pages and created multiple drafts for the title page as requested by the client. This spring, the UPIC team will continue to work with the UPIC staff to complete the layout of the magazine and prepare it for publication.

BRIEF founder Mac Devine and a child work together in a classroom to build legos.

For the Fall of 2023, the interns were tasked with raising awareness for BRIEF, a newly-founded nonprofit organization that provides children living in poverty in the Upstate with technology skills. The campaign’s goal was to increase brand awareness to boost donations in the future. To create more attention, the interns created graphics to post on multiple social media platforms, ranging from volunteer spotlights to stories of the students. Some of the interns’ posts led to direct donations! Interns also helped the organization start a monthly newsletter to send to potential donors. Additionally, the interns created donation packets for BRIEF to distribute and better showcase the direct impact of donations. 

Pearce Center logo

Pearce Interns work alongside Visual Information Design interns to maintain the Pearce Center’s social media accounts. In the Fall, interns created a posting schedule, brainstormed content, designed posts and created specific style guidelines to make the feed feel cohesive. Content included intern features, project spotlights and general informational posts about the Pearce Center and related events. This group of interns also helped advertise the internship in order to recruit new interns for future semesters. The team enjoyed the creative freedom of the project and learned valuable skills related to digital marketing and brand guidelines. They additionally curated and created the Pearce Center’s first ever Newsletter, which was created to inform the community and donors about the Pearce Center’s impact on student’s experiential learning.

Experiential Learning Logo

Fall 2023 semester the Pearce Interns worked with the Clemson Experiential Learning team on promoting the different subsets of experiential learning. The team collaborated with their client to figure out how to accurately share stories and information about the different opportunities within experiential learning. They decided to interview a variety of students who participate in experiential learning, from study abroad to creative inquiries. Following into the Spring 2024, the interns are in the process of conducting interviews and collecting data for Clemson Experiential Learning.

Intern Publications

Pearce Interns work on several campus and community publications such as the UPIC Magazine, English Unbound and Habitat for Humanity’s newsletter. Interns write, edit, design and help print/publish several of these publications.

UPIC Magazine

Pearce Interns publish the UPIC magazine, which highlights the on-campus internship program at Clemson University. Interns gain valuable writing and editing skills. In 2023, they interviewed several mentors and mentees and are excited this program gets to continue.

Cover of the 2023 issue of UPIC magazine featuring a side-long shot of Sikes Hall.

Pearce Center Annual Report

The Annual Report documents all the programs, projects and events the Pearce Center has participated in for that academic year. Pearce Interns work to write and edit the report, and beginning in 2020-2021, the VID Interns took over the design of the report.

Cover of 2021-2022 Annual Report featuring a purple overlay over a picture of students walking on campus.

School Book Project

To encourage young students to read, the Pearce Interns help elementary classes write and publish their very own book. The interns work with students to help write and illustrate a story before assembling the book and giving it to the students at a celebration.

Cover of the 2022-2023 Central Academy of the Arts book project featuring cartoon drawings of a giraffe, lion and hippo.

Tigra Scientifica

Pearce Interns work with Dr. Lesly Temesvari to help create new layout designs for Tigra Scientifica, a journal written by Clemson undergraduate students to help communicate new scientific research to a general audience. Interns are also working on creating the first print version of the journal in several years.

Article featured in Tigra Scientifica Fall 2020 issue

Tiger Tales

Tiger Tales is a brand new project started by the Pearce Center that aims to spread positivity around the Clemson community through highlighting community members, projects and initiatives. Interns interview the subjects and share their stories on social media in order to bring awareness to these unique, heartwarming tales.

Tiger Tales webpage