June 3rd, 2011Comments (0)

The Road Ahead for MSL Interns: Past, Present and Future by Joel Curran

It’s rare when you find a corporate blog post dedicated to a former employee, and rarer, still, when it’s done to brag about a person who has left to seek her fortune elsewhere. But, this was no ordinary employee and she left for no ordinary company.

Rachel Handler joined MSL Chicago the summer of 2009 having bested eight other intern finalists in the annual MSLGROUP Intern Challenge. The University of Michigan graduate and Chicago North Shore native immediately established herself as a superstar, rising quickly through the ranks. Her ability to wage war on any challenging assignment was only matched by her sunny disposition that, seemingly, never ceased.

Earlier this year, Rachel did what countless other young people often do after several years of sharpening their career focus –  she left for a job that would allow her to concentrate her time and considerable talent on writing…at one of the hottest social media companies in the world – Groupon, based here in Chicago.

And this past Sunday, I was able to catch up on her in a New York Times Sunday Business story on the fabulous writers of Groupon – including a former MSL Chicago intern who was a pretty good account executive, too. Wherever Rachel’s career takes her, I’m betting somebody reading this blog will have a chance to work for her some day. And, they’ll be very lucky. Maybe it will be me.

My first internship was through the Walt Disney World College Program in 1983. I was responsible for creating hometown stories from among the more than 500 interns that spring.  I had no idea where that path would take me, only that I absolutely loved what I was doing. Days of uncertainty were constantly mixed with promise and new challenges to conquer. It is, still, one of the most exciting times of my career.

Since Rachel joined the firm nearly two years ago, we’ve had more Intern Challenge winners who have earned a full-time jobs with us. The new interns always remind me that the start of a career is like laying the foundation for a building that exists in a personal vision yet undefined. Next week, we welcome the summer class of 2011. New adventures – new careers – await them.

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