Stephanie Cochlan held a cross-departmental internship at By The Hand, a non-profit for children in under-resourced neighborhoods, supporting fundraising efforts and department HR processes.
How did you get your internship?
I was already familiar with the By The Hand organization and knew that they offered internships in multiple areas, so I looked on their website and went to the “Internships” page to apply to some of the opportunities they had posted. I have a personal connection within the organization, so I reached out to her to let her know that I applied and would appreciate it if she put in a good word for me. From there, I received an email from Human Resources notifying me I had been invited to an interview. After the interview, I was offered a position and signed a contract to start my internship.
Why did you choose this internship?
I was intrigued by By The Hand’s social-impact-oriented mission and because I would have the opportunity to learn about multiple fields of interest. Even further, I knew that the organization would be collaborative in creating a work plan that aligned with my career goals by asking me what experiences I wanted to gain from the internship. The organization also partners with an array of other organizations and individuals so I knew that I would gain exposure to multiple industries, learning how to interact with diverse audiences. This internship was especially appealing because I knew that I would be able to shadow a social worker who works directly with children living in under-resourced areas. I have an interest in the field of counseling, so this would be a great opportunity to learn more about what the type of work counselors do.
What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?
During my internship, I researched fund development opportunities and created content to turn prospective donors into long-term partners. I assisted in the planning and coordination of various events that engaged the public in By The Hand’s mission. These events spanned from intimate donor meetings to large fundraising events. The remaining part of my internship was spent completing human resources functions involving talent acquisition and employee experience. In general, my tasks varied heavily per day. I collaborated with multiple departments including operations, marketing communications, fund development and human resources.
What is unique about your situation that influenced your internship selection or experience?
A unique aspect of my internship was that I was able to sit in executive meetings and learn from individuals of all ranks. This exposure allowed me to learn how to carry myself professionally and communicate effectively to varying audiences. Furthermore, I was able to attend the organization’s events and interact with a variety of donors due to the timing of my internship. These interactions gave me confidence and taught me the importance of knowing the mission and objective of the place that I’m working for.
What new skills did you practice or develop in this internship?
As a cross-departmental intern, I often had shifting objectives and priorities. Because of this experience, I honed my organizational skills. I also gained a lot of confidence when it came to presenting my ideas and engaging in meetings. Project management is also a transferable skill that I developed since a part of my internship was planning for events with sharp deadlines. Budgeting, marketing and scheduling were amongst the host of skills that I practiced while planning events.
What was your favorite or most satisfying part of your internship?
The relationships that I built during my internship were the most satisfying part of the internship. The fact that I completed projects that I know my supervisors wouldn’t have been able to complete without my work also made me feel quite accomplished. It was fulfilling to see my ideas used for events and for marketing content as well. It was gratifying to be able to apply my education in a work setting.
What did you find most challenging about your internship?
There were times where I struggled with my project management because an objective felt too ambiguous and required additional communication. In dealing with these challenges, I learned how to be incredibly clear and proactive in my communication, and how to ask the right questions. Sometimes the cross-departmental nature of my internship was also tricky since I was constantly switching between projects and different teams. This alternating between areas taught me how to prioritize and organize my tasks effectively.
What advice do you have for other students as they search for and/or begin their internship?
Some of my best advice is to absorb as much information as you can, have an open mind and ask questions. Always bring energy and enthusiasm, and build relationships with those around you. Lastly, try not to create too extensive expectations for what you want your internship to look like. Having really high expectations about an experience could lead to you missing out on unexpected opportunities and lessons because you weren’t open to all the ways the experience could be impactful.