1. Kelly Mullady
Tuesday March 1, 2012
Heinz Endowment Personal Essay
Personal Essay
I have received an amazing opportunity to work with Marvel Comics, Inc. as an
intern in the editorial and publishing divisions. I applied for this internship for several
reasons. One of the main reasons I applied for this internship is due to my respect for
graphic novel media. Marvel has been around for many years, and the company has
adapted and grown stronger with each year. This company, mainly the talented writers
and artists it employs, helped shape a part of my childhood. This internship would be an
opportunity to see a world that appeals and relates to so many different kinds of people.
This internship is also an opportunity for me to work hands-on in a company that’s
influenced the graphic novel world so greatly. This is also a chance for me to work with
a team of creative, dedicated people who greatly influence all different types of media we
see and read today.
I will be in charge of many tasks at my internship. I will be responsible for
writing a synopsis of different Marvel comics. I will read comics assigned to me by my
supervisor, and then write up a short summary of the plot and create a list of characters
appearing in the issue, making note of the characters appearing for the first time. After I
finish these synopses, Marvel will use them for an internal system that will help Marvel
and others track characters and storylines. The goal of this is to give Marvel a better
understanding of their intellectual property. I will also be asked to perform minor office
duties, to ensure the office run smoothly and remain an enjoyable place to work. For
instance, on certain days of the week I will be required to get lunch for staff members that

2. placed orders that day. I will regularly make coffee and keep a clean kitchen area for the
staff’s use. Stock the kitchen. Distribute daily mail. Perform other various errands for the
office as necessary “From this work, I hope Kelly will put her writing skills to work and
learn where and how she could improve. She would also learn about the comic book
format and specifically about Marvel’s history and intellectual property. The project will
help improve attention to detail and grow research skills.” (Sara DelGreco, Marvel
Internship Coordinator).
This internship will help me achieve my career objectives in many different ways.
Experience is always necessary for a skilled worker, and this internship will help put me
on the right path, gaining experience from a prestigious company. It would give me a
chance to meet people I may never get to meet, which is important in two ways. Contacts
are important after college, and this internship may help my chances of securing a job
once I’ve graduated. Also, working with such an innovative and creative team of writers
will help me hone my writing skills while inspiring me. This internship will help me
become a better writer, and it will help me gain experience in publishing, which is
eventually where I hope to be someday, whether it be at a comic book company, or a
regular book publisher. This internship will help me learn the ropes of a business that has
been around for years, a business I deeply admire.
The reason I applied for the Heinz Endowment is because of my financial
situation. My father left when I was six months old, and hasn’t paid child support for
about fifteen years. My mother has worked her entire life to give my sister and I
everything, but she cannot help me with this. New York is an extremely expensive city,
and my mom works a minimum wage job, while I go to school full-time, and work when

3. I can to help out. We have never been financially comfortable, and this internship could
be a financial breaking point. My mom has put our house on the market in hopes of
sending me to New York to be able to take this unpaid internship. She and I have worked
tirelessly to save, but we don’t have enough money for me to live in New York without
getting paid to do so. However, this is the opportunity of a lifetime, and we are both
working to try to make this internship possible. This internship gives me the opportunity
to work for a company that could possibly get me a job when I graduate, allowing me to
pay my mom back for everything she’s given me, and giving myself financial security,
something my family has never had the privilege of knowing. Without this endowment, I
cannot afford to go to New York, I cannot afford to intern at Marvel Comics, which
would be giving up the opportunity of a lifetime. I was supposed to intern at Marvel in
the fall of 2011, but my mom and I simply couldn’t afford it, and I was too late to apply
for the Heinz Endowment. Marvel was kind enough to hold a place for me in their
summer internship program, so this is the last shot I have with them. Even though my
mom and I have worked and saved since last fall, we still do not have enough money. I
have always known the value of money since I grew up around a lack of it. I have worked
since high school to help pay for as much of what I can to help my family. Unfortunately,
it has not been enough to make living in New York city this summer seem feasible. I am
writing this letter to appeal to whoever you are because now I need a little help. I’m sure
there are many applicants for the Heinz Endowment this semester and I in no way mean
to belittle their situations and think I deserve this more. However, I do think I deserve this
opportunity. Your financial help and support would change my future. Thank you so
much for your time and consideration.