Interlinking Passion and Career with the Help of an Internship

Joe Morrell, a senior at St. John Fisher University, was offered the opportunity to intern with CITY Magazine, where he gets to talk about his passions: food and beverage.

Growing up in a hospitality-focused family of chefs, Morrell became accustomed to celebrating holidays through food. He bonds with his dad over restaurants, and through opportunities to experience fine dining, he developed into a foodie. His passion for food wasn’t the only thing he developed; he also became a storyteller. Whether it was telling stories to his friends and family or editing articles for his high school news publication, he enjoyed spinning a story. Eventually, he realized that he could tell stories about what he loves, leading him to major in marketing and media and communication at Fisher.

“I found that what I really like to do is combine those passions and be able to tell stories about things I’m passionate about, which is the food and beverage space,” he said.

Having an idea of what he would like to do as a career led him to network with professors and professionals in the community. Arien Rozelle, an assistant professor at Fisher, gave him the contact information to Leah Stacy, editor-in-chief for CITY Magazine and a well-known communications professional in Rochester who has similar interests. During an informational interview with Stacy, she mentioned CITY’s internship opportunity. Now, three weeks into the experience, he is learning a lot and starting to get his footing. 

“I just learned how fast-paced professional publications are. People have to be really dynamic and be able to do a lot of different things. I’ve learned to leverage and to be able to be multifaceted. I’ve also learned that there’s a lot of opportunity in this kind of space,” said Morrell.

In addition to his internship, Morrell is a member of the men’s basketball team and is a Service Scholar. “I really like to hustle.  I like to be busy, and I like to keep growing and evolving,” he said.

His advice for juggling it all? Communicate your schedule, say the occasional “no,” and plan a little time for yourself. For Morrell, that means cooking a meal or listening to music. 

“The more you say yes, the more opportunities there are, and the harder you work, the luckier you get,” he said.