NYNY Office Spotlight: 2013 NYNY Summer Interns
It’s the beginning of August and summer internships at New York Needs You are wrapping up. Have you ever wondered what interning at New York Needs You is like? We ask our six summer interns to reveal how they felt as part of the NYNY team, discuss their accomplishments and reflect on their professional experiences this summer.
NYNY: What motivated you to intern at NYNY this summer?
Mallika Walia (Communications Intern): I am a rising sophomore at Barnard College and as a first-generation college student myself, I understand the truly unique challenges that first-generation college students face. I’ve often found myself wishing for the guidance and support that NYNY provides for its Fellows. This motivated me to become part of an organization that works to ease the challenges that students like me face.
Emily Behan (Development Intern): I have a BA in Economics and Latin American Studies from Furman University and I am currently pursuing a MS in Fundraising Management from Columbia University. A friend from Columbia encouraged me to apply. When I was offered the internship, I had a potential job offer on the table, but I decided to accept NYNY’s internship offer because it seemed like a better fit for me. Looking back, I definitely made the right choice.
Stephen Xavier Foglia (IT Intern): I am interested in developing as an IT professional. I applied to the NYNY Internship through the NPower Technology Service Corps Program. The NYNY internship stood out to me.
Ev Evnen (Strategic Partnerships Intern): I am currently a candidate for MPP/MBA at the Heller School for Social Policy. I strongly believe in increasing economic opportunity for historically oppressed groups. Opportunities are not currently distributed equally, and work that is done to ameliorate this is very important to me.
Jennifer Uhlmann (Programs Intern): I have a BA in Psychology and I just completed my MA in Mental Health Counseling from CUNY City College. The Programs department particularly interested me because it involved a lot of direct contact with the Fellows in addition to helping out with, and at, the workshops. I hoped I could implement improvements or identify areas for improvement, which I think is especially important in such a young organization.
Alison Wong (Strategic Partnerships Intern): I am a rising junior at Macaulay Honors College,double majoring in Environmental Science and Political Science. I learned about the opportunity to intern at NYNY through the Watson Fellowship Program. I thought it was a great opportunity to work in the non-profit sector and I loved the work that NYNY did. I accepted the offer from NYNY because of the welcoming work environment I experienced during the interview process.
NYNY: What is your favorite part of the NYNY Internship?
Alison: Being able to have ownership of my own project. Also being able to work at an organization that is growing and thriving is inspiring and enlightening.
Emily: Everyone’s positive attitude in the office!
Mallika: Being part of such an energetic and passionate team, helping to make a difference in Fellows’ lives and the workshops! The Fellows are all such inspiring and enthusiastic people and in my short time at NYNY, I’ve already learned so much from them. It’s incredible to see how they flourish in the program and how they motivate each other to succeed.
Stephen: Being able to help everyone in the office by addressing any computer issues.
Ev: It has been a privilege to work with people who are so smart and so dedicated to the mission of NYNY.
Jennifer: It is quite difficult to identify a single favorite part of my internship, but I can say for the first time in my life I am doing valuable, important work, for an organization that has an amazing mission with people that are supportive, positive, and full of energy who have helped me thrive. The combination of the work I am doing, who I am doing it for and who I am doing it with is a secret recipe that NYNY has mastered. The entire experience from mundane tasks such as printing out signs for workshop lunches to being the point person for a 2012 workshop made my time at NYNY an overwhelmingly positive experience.
NYNY: How is this internship different than other internships that you have had?
Emily: I had real responsibilities and long-term projects.
Mallika: NYNY has shown me the direct fruits of my labor. At workshops I witness the transformation that I help to foster. It’s a very humbling experience and makes me want to remain part of the NYNY family for many years to come.
Ev: I think what is unique about working at NYNY is the opportunity to see an organization thoughtfully expanding. I work on a number of fast-paced and interesting projects. There is a great combination of hard work and camaraderie in the office. I'm learning a lot, not just about NYNY's mission-based work, but also about how to bring an organization's work to scale.
NYNY: What did you learn this summer? How is this internship going to impact your future career choices?
Jennifer: As I reflect on my internship experience I learned a great deal about the logistical and organizational aspects involved in workshop prep, and keeping the line of communication open with the 200+ current and alumni Fellows. In addition to the work I did inside the office I benefited immensely from the professional and career development curriculum presented at the workshops. I also learned to alter my perspective on what I want to do with my life, how I can use my strengths and skillsets in different professional settings, other than mental health counseling.
Mallika: I learned a lot about social media for nonprofits, web management and media editing. After interning at NYNY, I’ve become more interested in becoming a mentor and giving back to the community I come from. Maybe in the future, I’ll apply to be a Mentor Coach at NYNY! After working with the staff, I’ve learned so much about different career paths and the various ways there are to achieve success in my own intended field. I’ve learned not to be afraid to take risks and step outside of my professional comfort zone because the experience just may be the most rewarding yet!
Emily: I’ve not only learned technical skills that will help me market myself to future employers (working with Salesforce, doing market research and processing gifts and acknowledgement letters), but I’ve also learned more about the non-profit sector in general. This internship cemented my decision to pursue a career at a place like NYNY.
Stephen: I gained a lot of knowledge. It was great to apply in the business environment what I have learned in the classroom. This internship helped me pave my pathway to my future studies in the IT field.
Alison: Firstly, I learned how a non-profit organization works. I also learned about how non-profits fundraise for money and how development and partnerships are extremely important to nonprofits. Secondly, I learned of the impact of the organization on each Fellow’s life. I am constantly asking myself what kind of work I want to do in the future. This experience has taught me a lot about where I could possibly go.
Ev: I've gained a lot experience through the GroupTie project. I've learned some of what product research, testing and launch takes. I've also gained a little experience with grant writing, which is something that interests me greatly. Finally, I worked on a literature review of the challenges of and interventions for first-generation and low-income college students.
NYNY: Share some of your extracurricular activities and interests.
Mallika: I am a dancer and on the Board of Columbia University’s premier Bollywood fusion dance team CU Dhoom and a member of a social justice and community service group called CU Sewa. I love intramural softball, singing, reading, and traveling.
Emily: I volunteer for the HALO Foundation. I love running. I also enjoy visiting the museums of New York.
Stephen: I am a DJ on the side and a member of a national fraternity, Alpha Phi Delta.
Alison: I do community service work with environmental organizations and enjoy photography and cooking. I am also a big fan of films.
Ev: I am an Assistant Coach for Brandeis Woman's Rugby, a member of the Heller Diversity Working Group, a member of the Brandeis Queer Graduates Group and a Heller Admissions Student Ambassador.
Jennifer: I love to play competitive volleyball in addition to watching baseball and football. I also love to cook and bake healthy, yummy things.
NYNY: Thank you Alison, Emily, Ev, Jennifer, Mallika, and Stephen for the incredible work this summer. Keep in touch!