Jennifer Caldwell, a junior from Columbia who studies marketing, decided to make the most of her summer by jumping head-first into a hands-on learning experience through an internship with Solinity in Knoxville, Tennessee.

A senior living developer, owner and operator, Solinity focuses on boutique-style, affordable communities in the independent living, assisted living and memory care continuum with multigenerational components. The company’s mission is to develop and lead teams that create and effectively manage communities, programs and services for the aging population.

Caldwell said she’s learning critical time management skills by ensuring her projects and content are completed by the deadline. She’s also making connections with professionals in her field by learning the art of networking.

In addition to obtaining time management and networking skills, which prove helpful in any career, Caldwell is also gaining valuable experience in the marketing field.

“I help manage and create content for Solinity, Pedal for Alzheimer's, Bridge the Gap Senior Living Podcast, and other marketing clients. I am learning everything from brand development, social media, photography, content creation, website content management, creation of marketing collaterals and connecting with graphic designers,” Caldwell said. “I go out in the field and capture photographs and videos of new developments for construction companies as well as transcribe and edit the podcast episodes before they go live.”

Caldwell said the internship is allowing her to gain a better understanding of the field and narrow down future job interests.

“My favorite part has been getting to explore more of downtown Knoxville, a city I’ve always loved. My brother lives here, and I’ve enjoyed visiting him and his three kids,” Caldwell said. “It’s been great to get insight of what a possible future career looks like.”

With three semesters left before she graduates from WKU, Caldwell hasn’t decided on any specific career plans yet. She discovered her interest in social media marketing, and she’s contemplating a career path which includes managing social media for a music label or a specific musical artist

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