Sarah ArnoldThis January, we are excited to be joined by an intern, Ali! Ali Montie, a native of Lewisburg, W.Va., is studying Psychology at Hollins University with a focus on communications. We asked her to share a few things about herself, her interests, and her hopes for the new year.
Tell us a little about yourself!
The first things that people learn about me is that I love pink, glitter, adventures and desserts. Since there is not much to do in Lewisburg, W.Va., where I’m from, I spend as much of my time traveling as I can. If I am in town, I am usually hiking with my dog, riding my horse or working at the Greenbrier Resort leading horseback rides. I am a sophomore at Hollins University in Roanoke, Va. where I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Communications. I hope to continue my education by pursuing my PhD in Clinical Psychology and studying animal–assisted therapy.
Why were you interested in interning with Clutch MOV?
During January Hollins gives us the opportunity to take the entire month to do an internship. I wanted to intern at Clutch MOV because I love all of the content that is posted. I love to write anything from short stories to essays and research papers, and even though I am not pursuing a career in journalism, I have always wanted to dip my toes into a writing-based field
What are you hoping to learn from this internship?
The behind the scenes processes of running an online publication is something that I am hoping to learn about during this month. This internship will benefit me in my minor, and I am excited to gain an understanding of how communications can bring a community together and make a difference!
What are your top three favorite things about the Mid-Ohio Valley?
I am in the Mid-Ohio Valley frequently visiting my family, and I have learned to love everything about it (except the block system roads)! One thing that I love about the MOV is Pizza Place; I always look forward to eating far too many of the large pizza pieces. I enjoy walking off the absurd amount of pizza by looking through the shops on Front Street in Marietta – my favorite is SP Curated! I think that Blennerhassett Island is one of the most beautiful places in the MOV, and having a picnic there is a perfect way to spend a summer afternoon.
Why is it important to you to share positive, uplifting content about this region?
I believe that every community should have a source of positive, uplifting content because so often we see all the negative things on the news and forget about the positive things that are happening around us. Anything from a community activity that can bring residents together to a photograph reminding everyone how beautiful the MOV is can be found on Clutch, and I think that is awesome!
If you could bring one aspect of the MOV back with you to college, what would it be?
If I could bring one aspect of the MOV back with me to Roanoke, I would bring Pizza Place- just kidding. I would bring back the community of young, adventurous and involved people that the Mid-Ohio Valley has. I see them in the Clutch staff, in the local businesses and everywhere throughout the MOV; I believe that the Roanoke Valley would benefit highly from the type of tight-knit community that I see here!
What are you most excited for in 2018?
In 2018 I look forward to new adventures and experiences! One of my goals (“resolutions” are always broken so I stick to “goals”) is to do more things that make me happy. I hope to hike the entire 78-mile Greenbrier River Trail throughout the year, go sky-diving again, cross a new country off my travel bucket list, and many more fun adventures!
We are thrilled to have Ali working with us full time this month as we kick off another exciting year of local content. If you see her out and about, be sure to say hello!