Duquesne University Junior's Marketing and Communications Studies Are Put Into Practice at American Heart Association

"I am the Marketing & Communications intern for the American Heart Association in the Greater Washington Region. Throughout my time at this site, I have completed quite a few projects very relevant to my field of study.

For example, I attended a hearing at the John A. Wilson building, in reference to Bill 21-0243, which included making CPR a mandatory requirement for high school students in DC. I created a media advisory and reached out to council members about the importance of CPR in DC schools. I also took pictures and interviewed witnesses. 

I was also responsible for putting together a media campaign for a contest sponsored by Match, where one of our own DC residents was chosen as one of the “Top Hottest” trainers across the site. For every profile view, $1 was donated to our organization. I had to pitch this contest to news and radio stations, and publications so they would advertise it.

One event that we are currently preparing for is our annual DC Heart Walk on November 7th, which will bring around 10,000 people to the National Mall. I am the social media lead for this event, which will involve making sure volunteers are taking as many pictures and posting as much as they can on social media. I have also been putting together many pictures and posts to help reach out to as many people as I can through various social media platforms.  

This internship has allowed me to put together what I’ve learned in the classroom into practice. I couldn’t have chosen a more fitting organization than the American Heart Association. There are also so many opportunities here in DC. I thought it was great to be here during many events, such as the Pope’s visit. There are also many networking opportunities here. I couldn’t have completed my first internship in a better place."

—Deleila Alloui, Duquesne University Junior, Fall 2015 Intern at the American Heart Association, Greater Washington Region