WKU Students Take Part In Unique Malaysian Internship

May 19, 2008

Bowling Green, Ky. - Imagewest, the nation’s only student-run, revenue based,
full-service advertising and public relations agency at Western Kentucky University, will be traveling to Malaysia for four weeks this summer. Imagewest prides itself on being a different kind of agency and will be adding value to the summer internship program by traveling internationally with five select students, agency
manager and faculty member.

This rare Malaysian internship opportunity will provide a chance for Imagewest student interns to work alongside the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). During the trip, Imagewest will be completing assignments that deal with branding, advertising,
public relations and website design for IIUM.

“As a WKU professor, I find it intriguing to have the chance to work with my students in an international setting,” said Mark Simpson, WKU advertising professor.

Each semester, WKU students compete for positions at Imagewest for course credit. The
agency decided to expand to a global level for the first time since the agency opened
in the spring of 2004. Only previous interns are eligible to apply for the abroad internship.
Imagewest plans to offer an international internship every summer.

Imagewest Agency Manager Heather Garcia speaks highly of the award-winning,
student-run agency designed to give WKU students real-world experience. As a WKU
advertising graduate herself, Garcia expresses the importance of completing one or
more internships before graduating from college and this particular opportunity will set
these students apart.

1906 College Heights Blvd. #11070 • Bowling Green, KY 42101-1070
(270) 745-8915 • Fax (270) 745-5840 • www.wku.edu/imagewest

“It is great to reward past interns with this type of opportunity. This experience will
enhance their skill set and knowledge and look quite impressive on their resume,”
Garcia said.

Imagewest will soon be adding IIUM to their ever-growing client list. This once in a
lifetime opportunity will help these students gain knowledge on a much higher level
than ever offered before. According to Dr. Menking, chief international officer at WKU,
“This abroad opportunity is extremely rare and we’re excited that WKU students and
Imagewest will be able to further implement WKU’s unyielding mission to be, ‘A Leading
American University with International Reach.’

The international Malaysian internship will take place from May 27, 2008 through June
25, 2008. Interns for the Imagewest international summer internship include Tori Burton
(Ft. Stewart, GA), Katie Cecil (Louisville, KY), Samantha Hughey (Crestwood, KY), Kelly
Scheurich (Louisville, KY), and Chelsey Sheldon (Glasgow, KY). Group leaders include
Imagewest Agency Manager, Heather Garcia (Franklin, KY), and WKU advertising
professor Mark Simpson (LeSage, WV).

To stay up to date with the Malaysian adventure, visit www.wku.edu/imagewest to see
blogs, photos and videos.

For further information, contact Katie Cecil by phone at 502-523-7909, via e-mail at
kathryn.cecil@gmail.com, Chelsey Shelton by phone at 270-590-4107, via email at
chelsey.shelton@wku.edu, or Heather Garcia by phone at 270-647-2262, via email at
heather.Garcia@wku.edu.