Final Luncheon Speech by Tracey Levine
“Hola José, soy Tracy del Envision Radio. Estoy llamando para charlar con Usted y confirmar pedazos varios de información. Necesito el apellido y correo electrónico de su Director de Programación y Los Locutores de la mañana. Gracias mucho para su ayuda. Hazme un favor cuando tiene un minuto más y llámame a dos-uno-seis-ocho-tres-uno-tres-siete-seis-uno, otra dos-uno-seis-ocho-tres-uno-tres-siete-seis-uno. ¡Hasta!” Are you confused yet?
Fellow Interns, Guests and Supervisors, allow me if you will to introduce myself. My name is Tracy Levine and I just turned twenty years old. I have taken 10 Spanish classes over the course of 7 years since I was 13. I have spent hours in the library pouring over Novelas Hispanicos and Diccionarios. In spite of this, I had never actually had a conversation with a native Spanish Speaker until this summer.
For the past two months, I have served as an intern at Envision Radio Networks in Beachwood. Envision has become a driving force in the radio and entertainment industries, representing countless English and Spanish syndicated radio programs; including morning shows, rock based weekend programs and one-minute daily vignettes. Additionally, Envision offers a wide range of services which include guest booking opportunities, online prep services and imaging and production.
As a student intern I not only spend my days honing my Spanish skills, but I am also in constant communication with Program Directors across the country. I am on a first name basis with Matt “the Shark” Sharkey, Hoppy Gilmore and Eddie Haskell--- quite a colorful group of characters, you know those radio types. I have become a proponent of the success idiom which proclaims that those business men and women who keep a journal ultimately have the greatest accomplishments because I have been trained in the use of Salesforce.com which is perhaps the greatest online journal and meaningful tool for businesses in that is allows users to track every account, contact, sale and phone call.
I am grateful that over the course of eight weeks I have been given many un-intern like projects to keep me busy. My co-workers have entrusted me with many important responsibilities and I have learned a great deal. In fact, my first and only intern-suggestive task was just last week when my boss asked me to drive to the post office and mail a wedding present. Simultaneously, the winds began to blow, the streets began to flood, and hail began to rain down on me in buckets. Needless to say, I made it back unscathed, but I know the Envision Crew has come to appreciate me as a capable and willing intern who is willing to risk her life for the greater cause.
On Fridays the entire internship program gathered together to tour Cleveland and visit all the local must sees. I know that might come as a shock to some of you, but Chicago and New York should watch out because it’s in fact true: there is actually some pretty cool stuff happening around the city! I don’t think it will come as a shock to anyone that my favorite stop was Pierre’s Ice Cream Factory, I was very interested in how the corporation came to settle themselves in the heart of Cleveland as well as their commitment to the community which can be seen through their fundraising endeavors partnering with non-profit organizations, civic groups and schools. Clearly the Ice Cream wasn’t so bad either. On another such occasion, we ventured to the Natural History Museum for a “behind the scenes tour” and let me tell you, those lions, tigers and bears were taxidermy at its finest. Above all else, it has been a pleasure to reconnect with old friends through the Cleveland Hillel Foundation and I know Emma would object if I didn’t acknowledge that making some new ones didn’t hurt either. “Dancing the Night Away” at the Senior Prom at Menorah Park earlier this week definitely reinforced my belief that our generation is going to change the world through the work of our able minds as well as our kind hearts. Although I won’t miss Adam’s incessant e-mails, phone calls and facebook messages, I will definitely miss all of you.
Ultimately, I would like to thank the Cleveland Hillel Foundation, Laura Orken and the entire team at Envision Radio Networks for making my summer both fun and fulfilling. It has been both my honor and privilege to work as a member of the company and I leave here with a wide breath of knowledge and skills that will carry with me.