Two years ago, EEDC wrote a proposal for the Greater Easton Gap Year (GEGY) program. We hoped to find a recent high school graduate taking some time off to decide whether to attend college, a trade/technical school, or go to work.  One of the resumes we received was from Lance Morris, who had recently graduated from college and was trying to choose what to do next.

 

“What attracted us,” said Natalie Slater, Director of Communications, “was his openness and maturity in expressing why he wanted this internship.  Within a couple of months, we knew that we wanted him part of the team. With his knowledge of social media and talent in graphics, Lance’s encouraging and gentle tone has quickly become a friendly voice in our community. He is an asset and an integral part of our team.” 

 

Here is what Lance had to say:

 

EEDC: You were recently hired as EEDC’s Communication Coordinator. What does your job involve?

 

Lance Morris (LM): I am essentially in charge of keeping the digital communication aspect running, viable, and engaging. I am also making sure that everyone has their voice represented in some way, not just organization-wide for EEDC and Eastown downtown but also for the people we serve.

 

EEDC: You’ve actually been with EEDC over the past year as part of a nine-month internship program. How did you first hear about it?

 

LM: I was just looking for something viable in the area because I knew people from my college days were here already and had a place where I could live. I was looking for a position where I could apply myself and do something different. It would have been very easy to get stuck in a rut, especially during the pandemic. So I wanted to be somewhere where I could be creative and develop that voice for myself, even if it was something very menial, which I expected, as an intern, to be doing.

 

EEDC: And did that expectation turn out to be true?

 

LM: Not at all. I knew that the job would at least have a bit of a learning curve because that’s what internships are for. As a Communication Assistant, I expected that I would be following the communications person around, soaking up their knowledge, and talking to people (which, by the way, is something I never thought I’d be very good at). I guess I’d never really had a job that needed me to talk to so many different types of people in so many different walks of life, in quite the way I do now. I’ve learned that the communication field is very multifaceted, not just because of how you communicate but also in the words you use.

 

EEDC: Had this job opportunity not come up, what were your plans after the nine-month internship was over?

 

LM: I wanted to continue to be involved in media because I’ve always had a fascination with how people’s stories can be told in different types of ways. I think, for the most part, this internship has helped foster that in a way that I didn’t expect. Also, there is the fact that Easton is a cultural feast for such a small, close-knit community. The longer I was in the program, the more hats I had to wear because it was very busy from the start. So my end game for the internship was to see if I had the skill to be creative and communicate effectively.

 

I thought about going back to school for a little while and focus on the things that made me passionate about storytelling because I’m very much into films, movies, and books. Then, I wanted to use what I learned here and apply it to something that could get other people’s voices out there.

 

EEDC: This internship opportunity came up shortly after you graduated. What had you been planning to do?

 

LM: I graduated from Salisbury University in 2019 with a degree in English Literature and had planned to teach English to kids in South Korea, and then COVID happened. What I ended up doing was drifting around, just trying to make ends meet. It’s easy to get obstructed with the survival portion of your life and forget that it’s a very fine line between survival and living. Many people my age overlook that because it’s hard out there. And it doesn’t get easier. I found that the more you focus on just surviving, the less of a life you end up having. A lot of my time after college was just finding that reason to live my life in a way that made sense for me and not just for the numbers that I had to accumulate at the end of the month.

 

EEDC: How soon after you started your internship did you realize that there may be a career for you at EEDC and that you might want to stay in Easton?

 

LM: Until I experienced the town, had you told me I’d end up here, I would have first asked you: ‘where’s Easton’ and ‘no.’ However, I knew I wanted to stay shortly after Sounds of Summer ended (NOTE: the musical series sponsored by EEDC) and I met Holly Dekarske who was hired as the Director of Downtown Development. I knew I wanted to make sure that we, as a team, could present Easton as something more than just a small town you visit on the weekends in the summer. It’s so much more than that. It’s a great melting pot of different histories and perspectives, whether art or music, and different lengths of time in the area. Some people have been here forever, and some people, like me, have just moved here, and we all continue to stay and be a part of Easton because of how much potential it has and how much it has to offer.

 

EEDC:  You’ve been involved in a lot since you started with EEDC. What are you most proud of doing?

 

LM: This entire experience has been a very wild ride. The proudest I’ve been is seeing how something that starts as just a conversation around a table ends up in the street fully blown and fully happening. Of course, it’s very anxiety-provoking sometimes because what I’ve learned with doing downtown events is that things are constantly changing. There’s nothing you can do about it, but just roll with it and make sure that everyone that needs to be is happy.

 

One event that stands out for me was the movie night, featuring The Book of Life held last fall for Hispanic Heritage Month. I had never seen that movie before, and to watch people from all walks of life and ages come to the park and enjoy being together and sharing the experience, was a very beautiful thing.

 

EEDC: You were also part of the very successful Sounds of Summer.

 

LM: That was fun because I got to stretch my creative muscles and got to know the artists behind the music. They were so humble and genuine, and it was so interesting to see what drew them to Easton and how much they wanted to play in this community and entertain the people.

 

EEDC: What do you look forward to?

 

LM: I want to continue to be part of helping to bring unity to Easton. Like the saying goes: ‘Bridges don’t burn, they just rot with time.’ and that’s something that’s a very real danger for humans in general. With the help of business owners and others who love our community, the more bridges I can help build or upkeep will mean my time here has been completely worth it in every way, shape, and form. So I want all of us to just be connected because we’re all we’ve got.

 

—–

Tom Klein, and EEDC board member, was asked to help with the internship program by acting as a mentor to Lance. Here is what he said about his experience: Lance and I began our mentoring relationship in May 2021.  We met every other week for approximately an hour, and during our meetings, we bounced ideas off one another, shared challenges, and had many laughs together.  I hope Lance found our time together helpful and productive – I know I learned a lot from him.

 

I thought Lance was a very personable, intelligent, and achievement-oriented individual.  I saw him grow in a few ways: Better communication skills, a better grasp of his career direction, and a willingness to continually develop himself (taking on the responsibility for doing a lot of the IT stuff for the EEDC and closely assisting Holly in her new role and responsibilities). Lance will be a significant asset to the EEDC, especially if they capitalize on his strengths and interests (meet and greet skills, graphic and web design, project management).

 

The EEDC is currently looking for another intern! The position will offer the chance for not only personal development, but the opportunity to be of service to a community rich in history and possibilities. If you are a business that is interested in the internship program, or if you know someone who would be interested, contact Natalie Slater at .

 

 

Know anyone new to Easton?  We’d love to hear their story!  Email