"If you're just operating by habit, then you're not really living…Every action of ours should be a prayer—a sacrament in the world." - My Dinner with Andre (1981)
Internships
"At one time I thought the most important thing was talent. I think now that—the young man or the young woman must possess or teach himself, train himself, in infinite patience, which is to try and to try and to try until it comes right."
-William Faulkner
While a student at Emory & Henry College and post-graduation, I did a total of three internships in both private and non-profit settings with the primary focus of connecting individuals to an organization or event that makes them want to return and have fresh and renewed experiences with the respective organization I was representing.
The Lincoln Theatre
Photo courtesy of Justin Hartsell
Photo courtesy of Justin Hartsell
The Lincoln Theatre (Marion, Va.)
Fall 2021 – Spring 2022
​
The Lincoln Theatre is a historical theatre located in Marion, Virginia (a small town in southwest Virginia, rural Appalachia). This is the site of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) series Song of the Mountains—a bluegrass concert series filmed here monthly and airing on PBS. It is known as "The Official Television Series of Virginia" and hosted by Tim White.
​
The COVID-19 pandemic had been going on for a year and half and vaccines were beginning to roll out, with gathering restrictions gradually lifting (but social distance and masks still required). Having just graduated and originally planning on going into event management with the hopes of owning my own venue one day, I wanted as much experience as I could get and continuously be learning.
​
I got in touch with The Lincoln Theatre while working in Abingdon, Va. and living in Bristol, Tennessee. I expressed my passions and wanting to be involved in some way. This led to an opportunity for me to volunteer with the theatre and help it as it navigated being closed during the pandemic and seeking ways to begin planning the opening of its doors once again and safely welcome the community back.
​
The executive director at the time was concerned that the public was going to forget about "The Lincoln." When it is was built, it was a historical movie theatre dressed in Mayan decor and murals of American history—especially as it related to southwest Virginia and Appalachia. It had went through disrepair and been abandoned for decades until the community fought to bring it back years later. It was that history of forgetting that made the executive director worried about it being forgotten about a second time.
​
During my time there, I helped with odd jobs—such as tech support, troubleshooting equipment, organizing and so on. In addition, I helped copy edit and review a major grant application and additional documentation the executive director created. I coordinated the theatre's first dramatic writing course (free of charge, held virtually via Zoom), led by Hollywood director Colette Burson.
​
My greatest achievement there was being entrusted with planning a monthly film series as a nod to the theatre's historical past of being a movie palace and also being a way of inviting community members to a safe event. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Commonwealth of Virginia had begun easing restrictions on performing arts centers to start opening again. To entice community engagement, we planned a monthly movie series of films in the public domain that could be shown free of charge and let visitors get a sense of what it was like to have watched a film in the theatre as it was originally intended. All we asked was that guests practiced social distancing and wore masks. We only charged guests for concessions and merchandise as a small stream of revenue for the theatre as the organization began finding its footing once again and booking artists for the calendar year. Donations were welcomed upon entry.
​
We promoted the film series in the local newspaper, fliers, posters, social media and through the theatre's newsletter. I had a blast planning the inaugural film series with Charlie Chaplin being the theme of the first month and the second month being Alfred Hitchcock. I ended up accepting my first position as a communications professional in Kingsport, TN and could no longer offer my services to the theatre due to how far away I would be and decreased time to give the theatre the attention it deserved. I assisted in having a template of movie themes planned for the theatre to work with going forward if it chose to, and it is my honor to say that the theatre has since made showing a movie a month a staple and has since upgraded its projection and screen equipment to a whole new level.
​
I will forever be grateful for my time and experience at The Lincoln Theatre. May the arts live on!
Dramatic Writing Class flier
Designed by: Justin Hartsell
Class organized by: Tracy Thompson, Colette Burson & Justin Hartsell
Pre-show testing and preparation
Photos courtesy of Justin Hartsell
​
I made sure the equipment was working properly, volume levels were adjusted, background music was queued as guests entered and the respective movies were playing correctly.
In addition, I prepared notes regarding the film itself, the venue's general guidelines and upcoming event announcements for the theatre. I delivered these remarks from the stage prior to every showing.
Charlie Chaplin Film Festival poster entrance doors
Photo courtesy of Justin Hartsell
Designed by: Justin Hartsell
Charlie Chaplin Film Festival poster
Designed by: Justin Hartsell
Charlie Chaplin Film Festival
Photos courtesy of Justin Hartsell
​
The screen was a collapsible one that had to be erected in the middle of the stage and torn down after each weekend of a film festival ending.
​
The perspective of most my photos during film screenings is from behind the screen while backstage because of the projector projecting with a mirrored image so that viewers in the audience on the other side of the screen was viewing it correctly.
Alfred Hitchcock Film Festival poster
Designed by: Justin Hartsell
Alfred Hitchcock Film Festival
Photos courtesy of Justin Hartsell
Tech run for film festival series
Photo courtesy of Justin Hartsell
The Lincoln Theatre Newsletter (Spring 2021)
Designed by: Tracy Thompson
Edited by: Justin Hartsell
​Photo courtesy of Justin Hartsell​
Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company
Utility Trailer (Glade Spring, Va.)
May 2019 – March 2020
​
While still a student at Emory & Henry College, Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company's Glade Spring plant was seeking a student with communications experience. This was a new position for the plant and was one of the first of its kind in the entire company—thanks largely to the innovation and vision of the plant manager, Sam Cassell.
​
The site's needs varied between wanting to attract more applicants, improve employee retention and heighten brand awareness through community engagement.
​
Under a year's time with the company, I was able to improve internal communications, internal marketing and public relations/ This was done through publications, advertisements and internal initiatives to strengthen employee morale and connect the company with the surrounding community.
Hiring Billboard
Photos courtesy of Justin Hartsell
Designed by: Justin Hartsell
​
Human Resources at Utility Trailer Glade Spring desperately needed to hire more people for the production floor. I asked if they had ever done a job listing on Indeed.com for a production worker's position, in which they had not. Upon persuading them to try this method, they received over 540 applications and had to shut down the opening just to be able to process the mass response they had received through Indeed. This billboard was an effort to get the word out about Utility hiring and a posting being live on Indeed.
Summer 2019 Utility Trailer Hiring Flyer
Photography courtesy of Justin Hartsell
Designed by: Justin Hartsell
​
This is a printed flyer I created to help promote that our plant was hiring. I linked the Indeed application to a QR code generator and incorporated it into the flyer as well.
Utility Trailer Holiday Spot
Written by: Justin Hartsell
​
Effort to connect the brand with the community better through a holiday radio spot.
​
"Utility Trailer wants to wish our employees and their families a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year! We are so thankful to have such a dedicated, hard-working team that makes this such a great place to come and work. At Utility Trailer, we are not only a team but also family. Wishing you and yours the absolute best this holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Utility Trailer."
E&H Event Flier for Utility Employees
Designed by: Justin Hartsell
​
This college hosted a ticketed event that featured a musical quartet. Emory & Henry College specifically wanted to offer free tickets to Utility Trailer Glade Spring in an effort to form a sponsoring relationship and give back to a business nearby.
Not Just Building Trailers, But Also Community
​
Written by: Justin Hartsell
​
CHILHOWIE, Va. — On Saturday, September 28, 2019, Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company’s Glade Spring Plant participated in the annual Chilhowie Community Apple Festival’s Grand Parade, handing out candy to kids and fellow spectators along the parade route.
​
Utility Trailer-Glade Spring entered a show trailer that was built by the Glade Spring facility, with the words, “Pushing your next trailer to a higher level,” displayed along the sides. Following the trailer were employees and their spouses of the Glade Spring facility giving out handfuls of candy to smiling children awaiting for what types of candy were hidden inside the packed tote bags. Infant-friendly snacks were also given out to younger kids needing a safer, more nutritious snack.
​
This marks the facility’s second year participating in the parade.
​
Glade Spring Plant Manager Sam Cassell said being a part of the parade “allows our Glade Spring Plant to better connect and support the community.”
​
As Cassell was walking along the parade route, he handed out candy to a child and heard the little girl’s grandmother say, “Her daddy builds those trailers.” Cassell felt a deep sense of pride seeing what that trailer meant and represented to that family as it went by along the parade route.
​
According to the festival website, the funds that are raised for this festival goes to “worthwhile projects which benefit the community.” Such projects include purchasing new, updated equipment for schools, school renovations, and band uniforms. The money also goes to help fund for school band trips, support the town’s fire and rescue squads, and go to other projects that will help the town and its citizens.
​
The Chilhowie Community Apple Festival began when Chilhowie was the second-largest producer of apples in Virginia in the early 1950s, according to the Chilhowie Apple Festival’s website. Despite apples no longer being largely produced and grown in the town, the heritage and significance of the festival has continued to be an important community event—often marking the kick-off to the fall season for those in attendance.
…
Press Release for Utility Trailer Glade Spring Plant (Fall 2019)
Written by: Justin Hartsell
​
Press release written about Utility Trailer's involvement in local Chilhowie Apple Festival parade.
Front
Written and designed by: Justin Hartsell
Back
Written and designed by: Justin Hartsell
End of Year Letter from Glade Spring to Corporate (published in corporate newsletter)
Written by: Justin Hartsell
​
End of year press release on behalf of our plant published in corporate's printed magazine. This is the digital file for them to use to work into their publication with limited desktop publishing/graphic design tools at hand.
Utility Trailer Kids Calendar Competition Entry Packet
Designed by: Justin Hartsell & HR (inspired by similar competitions)
​
This was an internal campaign to create a calendar for employees that had art made by employee's children or grandchildren to personalize the calendar and connect with the team better. This was a fun competition with several entries—with finalists selected by HR and myself.
Holiday Turkeys
Photos courteous of Justin Hartsell
​
As each employee came off the production floor before the Thanksgiving holiday, we handed every individual employee their own frozen turkey to take home to their families. This was a way of saying "thank you" to everyone for their hard work and an effort to take care of the team.
​
The plant also donated turkeys and hams to Feeding America Southwest Virginia. The end results was 800 pounds of food being donated, with a total of 326 meals being fed at a local shelter for elderly individuals who otherwise could not enjoy a holiday meal.
Team Family Outing for the Holidays
Photo courteous of Justin Hartsell
​
For the employees, we wanted to do something a little different in 2019 in getting to plan a Christmas event for them and their loved ones. We worked with a local movie theater to have a special screening of "Frozen II."
​
An overwhelming number of employees signed up to bring their kids and grandkids to the event. Employees donated $4 per person to attend the event, which included the cost of the movie and concessions. These donations were then used to give to Glade Spring Children's Christmas Fund for underprivileged children and their families to have a Christmas. The organization went out and purchased toys, shoes, coats and other necessities for the other recipients of this year's fund. All donations made to the organization were kept anonymous.
​
A portion of the funds for the movie were additionally allocated for the Glade Spring Fire Department's efforts to have a Christmas event where kids from lower socioeconomic backgrounds across area schools could tour the fire department, get in the fire trucks, meet Santa, enjoy snacks and receive toys that they otherwise may not have gotten the chance to receive. The Glade Spring plant also donated 15 hams to the Glade Spring Fire Department's making of food boxes for families in the region who were in need of a Christmas meal.
Town of Abingdon (Va.)/CVB
Town of Abingdon & Abingdon CVB (Abingdon, Va.)
February 2019 – March 2020
​
In Summer 2019, I completed an internship for the town of Abingdon, Virginia to help with their special events and summer concerts series. Responsibilities ranged from marketing and public relations to data analysis and social media posts. The events consisted of an outdoor activities festival for the community (i.e. bike riding, folk music, vendors, dog obstacle course, paddle boarding, kayaking), concert series at the town’s farmer’s market pavilion (or local brewery during inclement weather), Fourth of July celebration and concluded with a busker (sidewalk performer) festival.
​
I did a lot of poster distribution to help promote and market the event at local businesses and also traveled out into surrounding cities and regions to promote the summer concert series. This allowed me to meet those in the community more, as I am originally from a city about 35 miles away from Abingdon. It then would make me happy to see those that I had spoken to one-on-one when delivering posters to local businesses attend the shows or when I would see on surveys that individuals attended because they saw a poster somewhere.
​
My favorite part of the internship, though, was getting to create social media posts. My passion lies in people; thus, I felt like the social media posts were such a quick, instant and direct way to engage with a vast number of individuals. It made me happy to see likes increase on a post. One of the most rewarding moments of this internship was when an Instagram user commented on one of the posts I had created and said, “Great picks [sic] of bands this year!” Given that I also love taking pictures and video, this was the best of all the things that I love: people, mass comm, music, photography and videography.
​
I also created a spreadsheet from scratch to plot data from surveys taken by individuals attending the shows. I then compiled the information into a “making sense of the data” spreadsheet that helps highlight the demographics of the crowd, what marketing strategies had been effective and what to take into consideration to improve. I did this on a week-by-week basis.
​
Lastly, I was asked to help with creating a graphic for something the tourism department had wanted for the town. Thus, I got to create a flyer for the Abingdon Visitor Center itself (not to be confused with the Abingdon Visitor’s Guide to Abingdon). This flyer was helpful for local groups visting the area or students going through orientation at Emory & Henry College and wanting to know where they can go for information, instead of being handed a million brochures on behalf of Abingdon. The town also referred me to a new historical tour guide for the town who requested help with getting his very own brochure and/or rack card to promote new tours that he would be doing.
​
(Below: I have provided snapshots of my graphic design work, survey analysis and social media posts.)
Abingdon Visitor Center Flier
Designed by: Justin Hartsell
Photography from the Town of Abingdon/CVB database
​
I was tasked with designing a flyer that highlighted the Abingdon Visitor Center and all that it had to offer.
Summer Concert Series Survey Spreadsheet
Designed and maintained by: Justin Hartsell
​
During concerts, paper surveys were randomly passed out for attendees to fill out. I then converted the responses into a spreadsheet that the CVB team who was running the summer concert series could look over on a week-by-week basis.
"Making Sense of the Data" Spreadsheet
Designed and maintained by: Justin Hartsell
​
The original spreadsheet merely plotted points for the CVB to see how things were trending visually. However, I created this secondary spreadsheet to quantify the information and compare it to other responses from previous shows. Essentially, this spreadsheet fleshes out the survey information and results in an easy to understand format instead of merely showing the plotted points as seen from the primary spreadsheet of patrons' responses.
Internship Abingdon CVB Instagram Posts (sample variety)
