Meaningful Missions a Part of Her Education

Molly Ahern is constantly in pursuit of knowledge. As a senior at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, working toward a bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in education, Molly enjoys “learning new things in so many diverse topics.”

And she is certain that, in her internship this semester with Beetle Press, she will enhance that learning with experience and skill development.

Over the next four months, Molly will work closely with The Creative, a collaboration of three women business owners—Janice, Ruth Griggs and Maureen Scanlon. Molly will conduct research for The Creative and help oversee its efforts in social media and blogging. She will also have her hand in several client book projects, and she will write for the Daily Hampshire Gazette under Janice’s supervision.

At UMass, Molly is part of the communication and education clubs, and she gets involved in missions that are meaningful to her. She helps support victims of domestic violence through a fashion show called Sisters on the Runway, and last year, she helped rebuild houses in New Orleans as part of an alternative spring break trip. “The work in New Orleans definitely opened my eyes to other places and how others live,” Molly says, noting she fell in love with the city and its culture.

Molly plans to pursue a career in public relations or marketing after she graduates in May—ideally with a nonprofit or an organization that serves children—as that would combine her passion for writing with her compassion for community service.

In five years, she sees herself working in PR in Boston. But first, she hopes to travel abroad, to Europe or South Africa, even though that would take her away from family—an important aspect of Molly’s life.

Molly says her family members—her parents and three siblings, Liam, 23, Rian, 17, and Colleen, 19—have always pushed her to work hard to meet her goals, and she attributes much of her success to them. She also deeply admires her grandmother, who is actively engaged in her community and earned a master’s degree in genealogy at age 70.

“My parents both were able to thrive in their careers while managing a large and loud family,” Molly says, reflecting on how they raised four children with two dogs. “Luckily, I have had amazing role models in my own family who continue to support and motivate me towards my goals, and I am forever grateful for that.”