Leah McGregor: My Time Working at ISG

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When I first joined ISG in the summer of 2023, I was a third-year linguistics student looking for my first taste of professional experience. Up until then, I’d worked plenty of different jobs but none in the kind of ‘professional environment’ people often talk about when describing life in the ‘real world’.

Leah wearing an EdHelp shirt in the Main Library. Two people with EdHelp shirts stand to her right further away from the camera.
Leah McGregor

While sending out applications, one role immediately caught my eye: Projects Assistant Intern. The timing felt almost serendipitous; I had just been chatting with a friend the day before about careers, goals, and internships, when he said something that stuck with me: “Have you thought about applying for internships in project management? I feel like you’d be really good at that.”

So, when I saw this position the very next day, I didn’t hesitate. I applied immediately.

After an interview, I was ecstatic to be offered the role. What made it even more special was learning that there wasn’t originally meant to be more than one intern, but because both Portia and I seemed like such strong fits, they made an exception and brought us both on board — a decision I’ll always be grateful for. They were kind enough to ask us back this year as well and it’s been amazing to be able to be back in this role.

The Role Overall

So, what does a Projects Assistant Intern actually do every day? The truth is no two days are the same (if you’d like a behind-the-scenes peek, I even made a day in my life video over on @edunilibraries on Instagram and TikTok!). The Projects Assistant Intern works on the Start of Term Project which focuses on Welcome Week in the Main Library and Kings Building libraries. Included in this project are workstreams in IT readiness, social media, communications, experiential events, library readiness, and more.

Some days I’ve found myself hauling 17,500 tote bags up three flights of stairs (with a trolley and elevator, thankfully!). Other days, I might be filming a stop-motion video, leading a meeting about a social media collaboration, or checking in with dancers on their performances. Overall, the role has given me the chance to wear many hats:

  • Social media content creation
  • Event planning and logistics
  • Video filming and editing
  • Graphic design
  • Developing presentations for social media or experiential proposals
  • Data analysis of social media performance
  • Running focus groups to gather feedback

That variety is exactly what made this internship so exciting. Every day pushed me to adapt, pick up new skills, and switch seamlessly between creative, strategic, and practical work — all while contributing to a project that directly shapes the student experience. What I loved most was the flexibility; this role gives you the space to make it your own, bringing in your unique ideas and experiences. In many ways, the internship becomes what you make of it.

A group of people with their backs to the camera wearing EdHelp shirts.
Leah and Portia showing the Senior Leadership Team around the Main Library.

My Role in the Project – This Year and Last

For the last two years I have led the Social Media Workstream of this project. This workstream manages a full campaign for the Library’s Instagram account, guiding it from conception to completion.

This process begins with reviewing content analytics in order to shape new ideas and come up with potential improvements over the year before. This task was aided by my experience on the project two years in a row as I had a good idea of the new things I wanted to incorporate in 2025. Once those ideas were approved, I moved on to developing a strategy and detailed content plan. From there, content creation became the priority. I created the graphics first, since they could be produced more flexibly, before turning to the video content, which often required more planning, props, and storyboarding.

Beyond content creation, I have also had the opportunity to collaborate across the university. I reached out to contacts in ResLife and EUSA, leading meetings with both teams to align on content guidelines, account priorities, and available resources. These collaborations extended the reach of our campaign, helping more students access the information they need to start their year successfully, while also boosting engagement across all accounts involved.

In addition to the social media campaign, I have contributed to the experiential side of the project. This included aiding in planning the experiential events, helping coordinate dancers and performances, and contributing new ideas such as an interactive world map stand. Seeing the work and ideas come to fruition last year was incredibly fulfilling and gave me a chance to contribute creatively beyond my primary role, something I’m excited to be doing again this year.

Tim and Leah pose with a laptop wearing EdHelp shirts.
Leah and her manager, Tim, at the Main Library.

Reflection

With just three weeks left in this internship, I find myself feeling a mix of emotions. On one hand, there’s a tinge of sadness knowing that soon I’ll be saying goodbye to the colleagues, team, and project that has shaped my day-to-day life for so long. On the other hand, there’s a growing excitement in knowing that all the pieces will soon come together. One of the most rewarding parts of this project is seeing months of work culminate in that final week. Watching students experience the events and see the media we’ve worked so hard to put in place is both thrilling and a little nerve-wracking.

Looking back, this internship has been an amazing experience both professionally and personally. The team has been an absolute joy to work with. From our shared sense of humor to the way we’ve collaborated, it’s a dream team.

Now, as I prepare to leave Edinburgh University as a graduate, I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had here. From this summer internship as a Projects Assistant Intern into my role in the communications team, to being asked back to the Start of Term Project, every experience has shaped me in ways I’ll carry forward. More than anything, I’m thankful for the community I’ve been part of, the lessons I’ve learned, and the memories I’ll take with me.

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