Ashland Resident Interns at Mansfield & Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau

2016 Sep 21

Ashland resident, Natalie Helenthal, who is a junior business management major at Ashland University, completed a summer internship for Mansfield & Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The supervisor for this internship was Operations/Member service director, Amber Dobbins.

Helenthal is the daughter of Brad and Nichole Helenthal of Ashland. She is a 2014 graduate of Ashland High School.

The Mansfield/Richland County Convention & Visitors Bureau is an independent, not-for-profit organization created to promote travel and tourism to the area. It results in the increased business activity and the improved quality of life for people within Richland County.

Helenthal's main duties were to update and maintain websites and databases, fulfill information requests and assist visitors as well as manage the bureau's e-newsletters and member correspondences.

"The major projects that I accomplished were working on the SCRIPPS project, helping put together the membership packets with Amber, and working outdoor events. For the SCRIPPS project, it was me taking the data that the website pulled about the bureau's marketing attempt with following the Republican National Campaign and seeing what kind of feedback they received. I created a spreadsheet in Excel that included line charts and bar graphs that tracked the movement from each week," Helenthanl said. "Currently, I am helping compile information for prospective members and current members to try and get them to renew their memberships once again with the Bureau. It includes the marketing packages, along with other information, on the benefits of being a member and how it is a positive influence in the county. Another major project that I have been a part of, is working a few weekends at the Mid-Ohio racetrack and helping to 'sell' information to visitors. I have been learning the amount of time it takes for the bureau to set up the booth and get everything ready for the event. I have helped put certain things together for some of the bigger races that Mid-Ohio has going on."

Helenthal believes that Ashland University prepared her for this internship because she had a basic understanding of business and how one was operated from being in certain classes. From these certain classes, she knew what an operations manager did and how a not-for-profit business was. In her classes, she was taught how to use Excel and maintain a positive working relationship with her coworkers.

"The internship gave me actual experience to put together with what I have learned in my classes. Instead of just learning definitions to terms or how upper management works within a business, I have personal experience with the business world and what it takes to keep the business going smoothly. I now will have a better understanding of what is going on in my classes."

Ashland University, ranked in the top 200 colleges and universities in U.S. News and World Report's National Universities category for 2016, is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students. ###