Keeping in Touch Has Merit

I had the great idea this year to have an intern reunion.

After checking in with Michael Filas, the professor at Westfield State University who I collaborate with on the intern program, I created a list of students from Westfield State and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, going back about six or seven years.

Interns from the spring semester, Kayla Fontaine, Shannon Grossman and Molly Ahern helped me track down email addresses for all of the intern alums. After choosing a date with Kayla, Shannon and Molly, I sent an email to the group and excitedly waited for replies.

I had in mind an afternoon full of hummus, chips and other snacks and former and current interns milling about, sharing their stories of their careers. I thought it would be especially useful for Kayla, Shannon and Molly and fun for everyone, including me.

As usual, the hopeful optimist in me was blinded but what could be instead of focused on reality.

About a half dozen folks replied right away that they were unable to join. One is living in California, and likewise others were out of range for an afternoon visit. One was traveling that weekend.

I was excited about seeing the six former interns who RSVP’d with a “yes” and the three current students at the gathering and started making plans for activities that would get them all talking without feeling awkward about it. I was thinking of some activities Val Nelson used at a networking event she held earlier this year.

Then, the Friday before the gathering, things started to unravel.

One young woman’s car broke down.

Another, about to graduate, had a lot of work to cram in before the big day.

Molly was unaware of a surprise graduation party her parents were hosting on the same afternoon, three hours away.

Like the 10 little Indians (well, only sort of), those kinds of stories kept coming in to me, and then we were down to one “Maybe I’ll get there but will be late” from one former intern and Kayla and Shannon, who were still all in.

I cancelled the event, thinking it had only been a few days since Kayla and Shannon had seen each other.

It was not a total loss, though.

I got to hear about what some of my former interns are doing, just as I had hoped, but not live—via email.

Maddie Cicitto, for instance, is working at a small public relations firm in New Britain, Connecticut.

“I am using so much of what I learned at Beetle Press, and I still feel so grateful and lucky that I got to intern with you,” she told me. “I felt like you believed in me, pushed me to do new things and gave me the opportunities that would help me in the future. I’m really looking forward to continuing my PR path.”

Vanessa Pesa, the former student with the failing car, is working at Berkshire Bank in marketing.

She told Kayla in an interview for a blog we recently posted about her: “Listen to Janice. She is there because she wants more than anything to teach you, to help you in your endeavors and to see you succeed.”

It was all music to my ears, especially hearing about their success.

And I modeled a skill I teach to all my interns: keep in touch with people in your network. Check in. Say hi. Stay connected.

Good will always come of it, whether it’s a new work opportunity, an idea or just some good news and stories.