Kayliegh Crumb is a junior at Kent State University majoring in journalism with a double minor in political science and economics. She expects to graduate in the spring of 2020.

Kayliegh was always interested in public speaking growing up. She first started public speaking when she competed in Destination Imagination as a fourth grader. Now, she uses the skills learned from Destination Imagination in her broadcasting career. She has been a correspondent, weather anchor and assistant producer at TV2, the Kent State University news station.

She believes amazing communications skills are necessary in any field. No matter the career, you must properly read nonverbal cues and present your information effectively.

She loves watching cheesy rom-coms, spending time with her family or friends and traveling.

Every summer State and Federal interns participate in Intern Edge, a program offered by Torchbearers and Leadership Akron. This program introduces the interns to established leaders, organizations, and groups that are making an impact in our community.

The company invests time and money to aide interns in their process of becoming community leaders and career professionals. It is important for interns to network and make connections with other young adults who are on similar paths.

During our second session, Katelynn Chilson and I joined other Intern Edge participants and raced through downtown Akron on a scavenger hunt. We were required to take as many pictures as possible in front of downtown’s most well-known spots. In order to receive credits for our finds, we had to post our pictures to our social media accounts.

This session gave us an opportunity to see some of downtown Akron’s thriving businesses and to see what downtown had to offer. It also taught us the importance of plugging in and posting to social media sites to reach larger audiences. The photos of us downtown show us learning about and connecting with the community in which we work. Search the hashtags #LAEdge2017 , #Cavs, and #CamoJama on Twitter or Instagram to see more photos of us enjoying downtown Akron.

State and Federal Communications was pleased to welcome Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan as he shared career advice and his goals for the city of Akron with the interns and employees.

“I want to start from the core up and bring people into Akron,” Mayor Horrigan said. “Downtown Akron is a huge focus for the growth of the city because of the amount of traffic that it brings in.”

More than 60,000 people move throughout downtown Akron on a daily basis and Mayor Horrigan addressed what’s next after the city’s Innerbelt highway (State Route 59) closes, how to make traffic run smoothly, and issues concerning the city’s combined sewer flow problem.

“I am concentrating on giving quality customer service to the Akron community and giving them a transparent and open-government,” Horrigan said. “We’ll have over 30 acres of land to use after the Innerbelt is closed and we are constantly considering ways to fill the space.”

State and Federal Communication’s eight summer interns attend either Kent State University or The University of Akron and Mayor Horrigan earned degrees from both universities.

“When I talk to interns, I always let them know that what you are striving for is hard work,” Mayor Horrigan said. “You will have to learn from the ground up because you don’t just fall into an amazing position.”

IT intern, Chris Jackson 24, has lived in Akron all of his life and jumped on the opportunity to suggest ways that Mayor Horrigan could fill space in downtown Akron.

“There is little to no place for teens to go and have fun in downtown Akron,” Jackson said. “I’m a gamer and arcades are coming back into style and could be a great thing for the city of Akron.”

Among other suggestions the interns and employees offered were to have food trucks throughout the city, especially near Summit St. and more art work in downtown Akron.

One thing marketing intern Clémence Besnard took away during Mayor Horrigan’s conversation was his views on success.

“I liked when he suggested that we take responsibility for the decisions we’ve made and being able to sleep peacefully with those decisions is what’s important,” Besnard said. “The mayor also let us know that it is okay to pat yourself on the back and celebrate the good you’ve done when talking about success.”

Zack Koozer attends Kent State University part-time and has yet to declare a major. His hobbies include playing video games, sketching, and hanging out with friends. He also tends to talk with his hands.

Although he has not quite decided what he wants to do with his life, he wants to be the person that people look at and say, “I want to be like him.” He would describe himself as a balance between whimsical and serious; he is protective of those close to him. Moreover, he values tolerance and open-minded people.

This summer, he plans on taking part in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with a group of friends and visiting with a friend and his godparents in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

He prefers cold beverages to hot beverages, and his Hogwarts house is Hufflepuff.

“Every person you encounter, whether for a minute or an hour, for a day or a year never really leaves you. They leave an imprint on you and help build who you are.” -Some wise guy

We are welcoming eight interns for our summer internship program here at State and Federal Communications! The program is designed to help college students learn more about government relations compliance and leadership and to help hone and showcase some of the skills they are learning within their respective college programs. It is also a paid internship, where they will be able to make money while they widen their horizons.

This summer, we have Tony Didion, who is graduating after this internship from Kent State University with a degree in public relations and a minor in marketing; Brittany Anderson, who is graduating this December from Kent State University with a degree in public relations and a minor in marketing; Clémence Besnard, an exchange student from France studying at the University of Akron is working on her master of science in international marketing at the ESC Rennes School of Business; Chris Jackson is a part-time student at the University of Akron working on his communication systems degree; Olivia Snyder a part-time student at the University of Akron pursuing civil engineering; Elysabethe Anderson, who is studying art history and visual communications and design at Kent State University; Sophia Avouris, a sophomore at Kent State University studying political science with a minor in public relations; and Zack Koozer who is attending part-time at Kent State University.

In addition to the projects they will be working on here at the office, our interns will be attending professional development programs, luncheons, and events, such as those held by Akron PSRA, Akron Roundtable, Intern Edge, the United Way of Summit County, and more. Stay tuned for more updates about this summer, and most importantly, let’s welcome these eight interns into the State and Federal Communications family!

In our spare time this year, my husband and I said we would chair the Greek Festival at Annunciation Church in Akron this September. This requires a lot of workshops rolling phyllo filled with cheese, spinach, and custard. I have always sent the interns to the church to help out. They learn a lot about volunteering and the volunteers learn a lot about them. Now mind you the volunteers are usually more…mature folks from the church and relish the fact we have so many young people assisting.

Costa Janos–On Monday June 6^th, the interns went to Annunciation Greek Orthodox church to help out with the preparation for the Greek festival in September. Monday’s workshop was to assist the volunteers as they assembled the spinach filled hors d’oeuvres called spanakopita. My specific jobs were to melt the butter, bring the ladies what they needed (filo, spinach, butter, or empty trays), and package the spanakopita. The day seemed to go by very quickly as there was never a moment where we were not moving. The interns worked non-stop to help make the process go quickly and smoothly. At the end of the day, I feel as if this workshop was a success and I cannot wait to go back to the church for the next workshop.

David Trujillo—Spanakopita is a delicious, easy to make, Greek appetizer that is ubiquitously found in Greek homes, Greek restaurants, and Greek cultural festivals. In my experience, in the almost industrialized process of mass production of this tasty Mediterranean treat, I found the aspects of community and togetherness. While the production of 6,000 or so pieces of spanakopita is fast paced, one finds opportunities to exchange pleasantries with some of the friendliest strangers one could ever meet. One finds the people of the Greek Orthodox Church to be extremely pleasant to talk to. One finds themselves enjoying their anecdotes, their takes on different topics on life, even their instructions on how to roll a buttered spinach pie. Mass production of spanakopita brings with it more rewards than simply the knowledge of how to make spanakopita.

Sophia Avouris–My experience at the Annunciation’s Spanakopita Workshop was very fun. Despite the fact we were all working almost constantly, I found myself laughing a lot.  I felt it helped all of us to bond together working outside of the office.  I think bonding experience is important, because it is nice when the friends you make in a work setting are not confined to work, but are friends in other areas.  I really like the internship program here gives us the ability to do community service, as I believe becoming involved at a younger age makes you more likely to be involved as you get older.

Niko Frazier–Spanakopita, where do I begin? We went to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church yesterday and helped make spanakopita, a first for me. I grew up working at the festival and my church’s kitchen, but always with meats. I’ve missed out. I started out the day scooping the spinach filling onto sheets, eight rows of five. After about one hour, I got tired so I decided to go out and start rolling. The rolling was so relaxing and fun. I finished two trays and about six cups of coffee before I was reassigned to packing the frozen rolls into aluminum trays then into the boxes. I cannot wait for the festival so I can finally eat the fruit of my labors.

Elizabeth Scozzaro— On Monday Team Intern helped at the Spanakopita Workshop all day. I did not know what was in store for us because I did not realize there was a 6,000 spanakopita requirement! I began the day being a runner for butter, spinach, and anything else the rollers needed. The rollers were the women who rolled the spinach in the phyllo dough. Eventually, the rollers got behind and I jumped in to help. It was fun to learn how to make one of my favorite foods in the world! Everybody there was kind to us and took much interest in our lives at school and at State and Federal Communications.

The kitchen is complete by now. There is no more noise. Today alone, I ran into three people in our recently resized dining area:

Jen and I empathized over our faltering attempts at gardening. Why is it so hard, sometimes?

Jon and I discussed Radiohead and Hilton Head. Thom Yorke is a dancing machine!

And Sarah and I talked weddings. “I’m a bridesmaid, and it’s carnival themed.”

Just through these tiny interactions, I notice myself getting more comfortable here, in my new surroundings. I feel more at ease as an intern, and I’m happy.

It seems like all that racket was worth it.

And then there’s Maria Varonis, who is me. But I’m going to write about myself in third person because it feels less pretentious that way.

Maria is by far the oldest intern here at State and Federal Communications, Inc. She looks like an aging oak compared to this handful of beautiful, youthful seeds. Last year, Maria had a birthday party. It was roller-skating themed. There was a DJ and vegan baklava. “You only turn 25 once,” she said.

Maria studied Organizational Communication at Ohio University, and is working on her MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Akron. Her focus is nonfiction. Sometimes she works on her thesis during her lunch break, and sometimes she doesn’t touch the thing.

Here, Maria has been helping with marketing. Having studied organizational practices in her undergraduate years, she considers it a privilege to work at “such a productive and communicative establishment.” Maria said she is impressed with how State and Federal Communications, Inc. functions, and that Elizabeth sets a good example for how to run a business. “She takes great care of her staff. In return, her staff is kind and accomplished,” she said. “It’s impressive.”

For lunch, Maria packs very strange meals consisting usually of tofu and mustard greens, vegetables and beans. The tofu is only sometimes, but there are almost always beans.

And too, there is Emily Kesler. She goes to school at Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois. Emily is double-majoring in Political Science and Psychology and is working on her minor in Business Institutions. She will be a senior after the summer.

Emily and I met this morning while slinging bags of carrots at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, located in Akron. Elizabeth Bartz stays active with the nonprofit activities of the church, and she gives us the opportunity to help. The interns were there to help with a food drive initiative—“Good Samaritans”—something the church does every month. Emily’s mother helps run the thing. I met her, and she was really nice.

This is Emily’s second stint interning at State and Federal Communications, Inc. and she is excited to be back. She remembers everyone’s name, and there’s energy and warmth behind it. She spends a lot of time in Chicago.

For fun? Emily rock climbs, and has just passed her belay test. She has also played soccer her whole life. For lunch? She eats paninis almost every day: mozzarella, tomato and basil.

On the other side of the building, through a couple doors and down the hall is David Jones. David, at times, goes by Davey: Jones, or Crockett. A sophomore at Stark State in Canton, he studies Cisco Administration.

Davey stays busy being helpful. He fixes his family’s computers, he says, and upgrades his own. Sometimes he works on cars, and he takes things pretty easy over the summer.

For lunch, it seems he eats a very specific meal of turkey with pepper jack cheese, cherry yogurt, and an apple. David admits that this field is “far more complicated than I originally thought. Politics and lobbying in general are very complex subjects that I understand nothing about.”

This is David’s second job; he used to work food service back in his hometown—Norton, Ohio. He is excited to work here.

“I love it here,” he said. “It’s actually my field.” David works in IT, and is good at it.

And then there’s Alexandra Livadas, who goes by Alexa. Her mom calls her Fred and she has no idea why. Alexa attends Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and studies finance. Next year, she will be a junior. Like Joanna, this is Alexa’s first “real” job. She has nannied in the past, and would always take the kids to the pool and the zoo, or for rides on bikes or ice cream. Alexa plays the piano and likes working at State and Federal Communications, Inc.

“Everyone here is really helpful and nice,” she said. Alexa handles our finances. “Elizabeth has taught me the importance of getting involved in the community and being a good corporate citizen through her own efforts, making sure that her interns go to community luncheons and chamber meetings and volunteering with the Annunciation Akron and United Way.”

It’s true: the interns have been attending one to several events every week. Alexa added: “It really helps us grow as young adults and will become a valuable experience for the future.”

Like Joanna, Alexa enjoys peanut butter and jelly for lunch. Old habits die hard.

On the other side of me is Zack Koozer, a sophomore at the University of Akron. Zack stays busy managing his blog, writing, sketching and playing with his dog, Sparky. He plays video games, and so on. Zack’s nicknames include Zack, Kaxzc, Kooz!, Kaxzcstrasz, and “Scooter.”

This summer marks Zack’s third internship here. During this stint he is focusing his efforts on social media.

Zack, on working at State and Federal, said this: “I love it here. I am never comfortable with people I don’t know, until I know them.” By now, he knows everyone pretty well.

For lunch, Zack is a sandwich and chips kind of guy. He also pays particular attention to Nutty Bars, apples and yogurt.

There are six of us in all.

Joanna Kamvouris sits beside me, to the right. She smiles brightly and works hard. She doesn’t go by any nicknames, so Joanna it is. A soon to be sophomore, Joanna studies journalism at Kent State University. While in high school, she reported for The Richfield Times and the Bath Country Journal, though she considers working here—at State and Federal Communications, Inc.—her first real job.

“It has given me a chance to experience the working environment of an office . . . to work among a close group of employees, observe meetings, and bond with some of the staff here. I am so thankful,” she said. Joanna is responsible for helping with communications. She said she was nervous to begin, but slowly things started feeling more familiar. “There is still so much that I have yet to learn!”

Everyday Joanna packs a lunch of peanut butter and jelly on wheat, Wheat Thins or cheese crackers, a granola bar and a bottle of water. One time she and I walked together, around the corner and across Market Street, to join her Great Uncle—Evangelos—for lunch at his restaurant, the Western Fruit Basket. She had a gyro and I had salata.

Ren walked away with an exasperated look on his face. It was really loud. Joanna and I turned towards each other. We were just told by one of our superiors to leave work in the middle of the day, and to go outside. It was beautiful outside. Well, yeah. We nodded, in agreement. Of course we’ll go outside.

So we went. And we walked. We did laps around the building, maybe 8 to 10 of them. At 5’3” and with Joanna at 5’5” we noted how many steps we must have taken due to our short strides. We discussed our excitement for Walking, Part 2 to begin.

State and Federal Communications, Inc. was in the middle of its health initiative: Walking, Part 1. The staff is divided into three teams and provided with a pedometer. The team with the most steps wins. There is also a chart that translates other physical activities into steps, so those who do the rowing machine at the gym, for example, still get credit for being active. Signs of encouragement are posted all over the office: Keep on Walking, they remind us. On day one we were told to watch out for Team Myra: Myra Texas Walkers. They were in the lead. Apparently, Myra runs marathons with the same ease that most run through the drive thru. I can’t compete with that sort of mastery, I thought. But I did just run my first 5K. And with my little legs? They might finally be worth something.

Tiny steps, I said. For the win.