Like many college students, I spent a great deal of my junior year searching for a summer internship. When I began my search, I wasn’t sure where I would end up, but I eventually discovered an opportunity with The Catholic Cemeteries Association (CCA).

As you may expect, I got a few puzzled looks when I told people I was the Marketing Intern for cemeteries. It was typically followed by a series of questions about what I would be doing and how you market a cemetery. At first, I didn’t know how to answer these questions because I was not totally sure. Over time, I not only learned about the many aspects of cemetery operations, but I also learned valuable skills that I will carry with me into the future.

I had the opportunity to work under Paige Muttillo, the Marketing Manager for the Catholic Cemeteries Association, and from the beginning of the internship, I knew I would be getting a completely unique experience from my peers at school. We discussed the roles and responsibilities for the summer, which allowed me to experience every aspect of marketing, from collaborating on the Bereavement Bulletin to helping plan for the FEST, and everything in between.

This was unique because I was able to explore different specialties in marketing and see what areas I thrived in.  I was able to become extremely educated on all the services of the Catholic Cemeteries Association and challenge myself in areas of marketing I have not had an opportunity to experience before.  

A common stereotype is that interns get stuck doing “busy work” all day, but that was not the case for me. From the beginning of my internship, we hit the ground running with planning and preparing for The FEST, a Catholic Music Festival. This quickly became a highlight of my internship.

This year, for the FEST, we wanted to go down a different route with what we would be passing out.  With that came a lot of time, researching, brainstorming, coordinating, and trial and error. I found a love for event marketing and even got to put all my knowledge to the test at the event, where I was able to promote the Catholic Cemeteries Association.

Yet, hands down, my favorite part of this experience was having the freedom with my photography. I have loved photography for as long as I can remember, and throughout my internship was able to put my skills to use.

I traveled to a couple of cemeteries and took pictures of the statues, nature, memorials, and more. Not only was I able to try my hand at a different form of photography, but I was also able to experience cemeteries in a new way. I was able to see the true beauty that cemeteries offer.

Through my time at the Catholic Cemeteries Association, I was not only able to learn new things about marketing, but I was able to improve on so many preexisting skills. The biggest improvement I noticed was in my writing skills. From improving my more conversational writing style while writing blogs to professional writing. I was also able to expand my business knowledge and take what I learned in school and apply it to real-world scenarios. But above all else, I gained confidence in the marketing field.

I am so grateful to have this experience as the Catholic Cemeteries Association Marketing Intern. Never in my life did I think I would have an internship where I would be trusted with so much responsibility, whether it was inputting my thoughts, sitting in on meetings where I could learn from the knowledgeable people around, or being allowed to take creative control in certain areas.

 I would like to say a huge “thank you” to Paige Muttillo, for mentoring me, trusting me, and giving me a truly amazing internship experience. I am fortunate to have had this experience and learn more about an industry that I was unfamiliar with prior to my internship. And a final thanks to the Catholic Cemeteries Association and all those with whom I was able to work alongside throughout the course of the summer.

Jennifer Kapcio | Marketing Intern | Catholic Cemeteries Association