Spring 2025 Intern Insights: Sophia Spraker

Sophia Spraker

Sophia Spraker, Community Engagement Intern

Sophia has worked on a plethora of communications and marketing projects for MAAV. From taking charge on social media campaigns to being the creative muscle of MAAV, she’s always willing to put her hard-working attitude to any task.

Whether it's a full house or just me in the office during co-working, being at MAAV is always one of the highlights of my week. My most valuable experiences have come from using skills I already had to expand my knowledge in marketing. As an artist, I was able to seize creative opportunities such as painting an Appalachian-inspired mural on one of the walls in the MAAV office—a project that helped me grow as an artist and appreciator of the great Appalachian Mountains. No matter how much I already know about the skills relevant to my internship, there was always more to learn.

Specifically, I've enjoyed being able to work alongside Marti, the Communications Coordinator for MAAV. She has always been incredibly supportive of me, encouraging me to go beyond my limits while guiding me through the intricacies of marketing in the Appalachian landscape.

My time with MAAV has truly given me a renewed love for the history and personal connections I have with Appalachian Virginia. I currently have the privilege to work on a marketing campaign for MAAV's Monuments Interactive Map and Monument Inventory, guiding users on how to navigate for themselves through remnants of Virginia's mountain stories. As I come up on graduation, I could not be more thankful for the knowledge and passion I've gained as a Marketing Intern for MAAV. Even when I move to embrace and learn about a different set of Mountains, I will surely keep up with MAAV well into the future.