Over the years and across our various Bureau departments, from the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance to our convention sales and destination services teams, we’ve brought on many CVB-employees-in-the-making to help with seasonal and special projects.

This summer, we were fortunate to host Ava Caron as an intern in GRCVB’s Marketing and Communications Department. Originally from Plano, Texas, Ava is a senior at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. She is currently pursuing a degree in Digital Media and Professional Communication with minors in Public Relations, Strategic Communication and Communication Studies.

Ava had the good fortune to start her internship in the middle of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and assisted social media manager Emma Bridges in capturing content during the Carolina Hurricanes’ historic run. With today marking her final week with us, we checked-in with Ava on her time at the Bureau and asked a few questions:

What did you expect coming into this internship with GRCVB? Did anything surprise you? 
Coming into GRCVB, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I knew I was excited to jump in and get involved with anything that came my way. One of the biggest surprises was seeing how hands‑on Emma is, from going out to capture content to editing and producing the final videos. I had no idea how the whole process worked or how posts actually came to life. Getting to tag along and learn how Emma runs socials has been genuinely fun and really rewarding.

What was your favorite moment working with us this summer? 
My favorite moment working for GRCVB this summer was attending the Carolina Hurricanes watch party on the night they won the Stanley Cup. Getting the opportunity to experience this and be immersed in the crowd will be something I talk about forever. Seeing all the fans gather in one spot and cheer on a team that means so much to them was cool to see and be a part of.

You had been to Raleigh, N.C., only once before this internship. How would you describe Raleigh, now that you've spent the summer with us?
All I can say is wow! I had no idea Raleigh packed in so many events, museums, activities and experiences. After spending two months here, I’ve learned the city’s history, explored its parks, met the trolls (of course), tried incredible local restaurants and really immersed myself in everything Raleigh and Wake County have to offer. It has the energy and excitement of a big city, yet still feels community‑oriented and welcoming to every visitor. The way people love this place—every neighborhood, every tradition, every little corner shop is genuinely comforting. Raleigh has become one of my favorite places I’ve ever visited, and I already know I’ll be back.

Is there a skill you believe you learned or developed more during your internship? 
The skill I have most developed this summer is content creation. I learned how to work with different angles and lengths in both photos and videos, and how to bring everything together into one cohesive piece. Figuring out how to record clean voiceovers and sync them with my edits was surprisingly fun, too. Putting all of that together—the filming, the editing, the voiceover and the captions—has been something I’ve genuinely enjoyed and grown a lot in over the past two months.

Thank you for all your hard work this summer! If you had any words of wisdom for future interns with GRCVB, what would you share? 
Apply, and get involved in every project they let you. Try everything, attend every sports game, film every big win, ask for guidance and corrections and always request to be part of everything.

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Although her time with us was short, we were very impressed with Ava’s willingness to learn the wild world of destination marketing. We hope Raleigh has her hooked and brings her back sooner rather than later.

If you know an undergraduate/graduate student (or even a top-notch high schooler) who may be interested in a seasonal internship with GRCVB, such prospective interns can reach out during the season prior to the department head whose Bureau portfolio matches to the student's subject of interest, e.g., for a public relations paid internship, consult with our director of public relations and international tourism Jessica Holt.