Internship gives Roanoke student inside look at fast lane life

Roanoke College sophomore Gabby Gery spent this summer interning at Danville's Virginia International Raceway. As the marketing intern, Gery had the opportunity to work firsthand with the raceway's social media. 

Gery dedicated much of her time to updating VIR's social media presence. She connected VIR to its followers through newer social media outlets, including Instagram and Pinterest. Gery also monitored preexisting social media pages, such as Facebook and Twitter. 

When she was not working behind the scenes at the raceway, Gery performed some interesting tasks on the track. Most notably, Gery dropped the green flag for a Maserati race and sat in the passenger's seat for a speedy Aston Martin qualifying lap, which was a chance for the drivers to earn a spot in the upcoming race by showing just how fast they could drive.    

Gery even got to meet actor-turned-driver Patrick Dempsey at VIR's summer event, the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship.

During the school year, Gery is a communication studies major who is actively pursuing a career in public relations. 

Between her internship for VIR and her work with social media in Roanoke's public relations office, Gery is pleased with her academic and professional path. 

"The plan has always been PR. I have enjoyed my experiences so far and definitely want to pursue PR in the future," she says. 

Gery is participating in Roanoke's Washington Semester Program this spring. She plans on building on her VIR experience with a PR internship in Washington D.C., while also taking classes through the program.  

By Hannah Cline '15

Published Sept. 11, 2014