Non-profit Operations Management

How did you get your internship and why did you choose it?

I applied to many different internships through Handshake and LinkedIn. I only heard back from three places - two telling me no, and one offering me an interview. The one that gave me the interview was the one I was most excited about, as it fulfilled all the aspects I was looking for in an internship, and was an organization I was interested in and could relate to. I interviewed with the CEO of the non-profit, and was offered the position. The organization is called Crafting Kind Kids, and it is located right here in Tucson! My experience demonstrates that it only takes one yes!

I was happy to work for a local non-profit because I wanted a more personal experience than you can get at a big corporation. Also, helping a non-profit with accomplishing their mission felt really wonderful to do. I was able to work directly with the CEO, as she had an incredibly small team, so it was a unique experience to work closely with the person running the entire organization.

What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience and what skills did you build?

I was in charge of many different tasks. I wrote audits for their social media as well as social media accounts for other similar companies, and then compared and analyzed them. Before this internship, I didn’t know how to create an audit, and I know this will be useful to me as I enter the professional world. I also learned how to use Photoshop and Canva, which are platforms/tools that are very prominent in our society today. With these skills, I created t-shirts and hat designs for them, which was a really fun way to show my creativity. Other tasks I was in charge of were creating many different lesson plans for children, as well as writing and editing for the organization’s blog.

I initially wanted a remote position, as I do not have access to a car here at school, so I didn’t want the extra stress and expenses to have to get to my internship. Looking back now, I wish I would’ve been able to work in person, as I found it sometimes challenging to stay on top of tasks at times. I also am a people-person, so I craved interaction and being able to participate in hands-on projects and activities. I learned that communication is key even more so when you are working remotely, as well as timeliness!

What advice do you have for other students as they search for their internship?

It is normal to be discouraged when you are applying for internships. I thought it would be a lot easier than it was to find an internship, and after being denied over and over again, it is easy to start to beat yourself up. Just remember, it only takes one! I encourage students applying to internships to apply to as many as you can, and to step out of your comfort zone! You may stumble across an opportunity you would’ve never thought to do, and you could end up loving it!