BLOG: My Perspective as a GGCC Intern

The Gaithersburg -Germantown Chamber staff with their 2019-2020 intern, Megan Causey. Causey is a senior at Northwest High School.

The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce (GGCC) is delighted to introduce you to its 2019-2020 academic school year intern Megan Causey. The Chamber is so honored to be able to participate in the Montgomery County Public Schools Internship program. It is a wonderful opportunity for the students to get hands-on experience and learn about the “real world”. If you have the capability to take on an intern, please contact a local high school and get involved. Our Director of Marketing, Laura Rowles, mentors the students and instills valuable first-hand knowledge of potential future career paths. It is truly rewarding.

Now a little bit about Megan in her own words.

Hi, my name is Megan Causey. I am currently a senior at Northwest High School and Vice President of the National Academy of Finance at my school. I will be attending Salisbury University Honors Program in the fall of 2020 majoring in business, and hopefully I will be accepted into Salisbury Perdue School of Business. Through the Academy of Finance, I have been exposed to various courses such as entrepreneurship, accounting, financial planning, and banking and credit. I have found that these classes have given me a great introductory foundation.

Dedicating your time to an internship offers an array of new and exciting opportunities. While there are other students who are interning at various businesses, I have still been considered an “oddball” among my peers. While most kids my age dedicate their senior year to having fun, I have been committed to building my resume and making a name for myself in the business world. I have always been told that in order to achieve your goals, you must create open doors to walk through. Being offered this intern position was like being given a golden key to unlocking a new door to my future. Will I succeed or fail?

Before becoming an intern at The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce (GGCC), my only knowledge on how a workplace was run was based upon the popular TV series, The Office. I quickly learned that this was not how a professional work environment operated. Throughout this experience, I have learned that I enjoy legislative work. Some days I get to attend networking events where I meet a lot of amazing people; and other days I have been permitted to sit in on City Council meetings where new bills are being presented. I have also witnessed that forming business relationships is a big aspect in any work-related field that you are in. I’m so excited to continue with internships through a college program.

My mentor, Laura, made transitioning into my first professional job welcoming and pleasant. She pushed me to do things that I did not think that I was capable of doing, and introduced me to new tasks that I overcame. I admire both her work-ethic and her compassion towards others. I would not have picked anyone else to help guide me through my time here at the GGCC.

It has been gratifying to see how far I have come since September of 2019 (when I first started). I feel that internships are an important step, and everyone should undergo at least one in their lifetime. It is a great way to dip into the areas of interest and gain real-life experience. The experience pushed me beyond my comfort zones, and I have cherished the time here. Like the famous poet Geoffrey Chaucer said, “all good things must come to an end” and I am excited to start unlocking new doors. However, I will always treasure this opportunity that I have been very fortunate to have. #WearetheGGCC.

About Laura Rowles

Laura authors the blog Your Success is Our Business on MyMCMedia. Laura is the Director of Events & Marketing for the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce - a member-based organization of businesses that have joined together for the purpose of promoting the civic, commercial and industrial progress in our communities. The area's economic well-being is a result of the caliber of work that is done by the Chamber. The Chamber has a major impact on business, income and future growth of the area. My position at the Chamber - Director of Events & Marketing - affords me the opportunity to plan quality events for our Members and market the Chamber is a variety of avenues. At the GGCC, we typically have around 30 events each year including: breakfasts, lunches, after-five's, ribbon cuttings and special events. The consensus is we have high quality events with good energy. In 2012, we had over 2,040 people visit our events. Most our events are free to Members so securing sponsorships for all events. Additionally, I am responsible for planning networking, overseeing the budget and marketing of all events in order to make them successful. Lastly, I coordinate all marketing and communication efforts of the GGCC including weekly email blasts, its quarterly newsletter, all social media platforms, media relations and community outreach.

View all posts by Laura Rowles