INTERNSHIPS

My internships at Upstate International in Greenville, SC and The United Way of Anderson County in Anderson, SC in Spring of 2024.

During the spring of 2024, I interned with Upstate International in Greenville, SC. This non-profit organization has the mission of promoting global awareness and diversity in Upstate, South Carolina through various services such as a language school and social clubs. As the Global Affairs Intern, I supported the World Affairs Council, a program that engages communities in global perspectives through speaker programs and educational experiences. One of these programs, Beyond the Headlines Speaker Series, is a Lunch and Learn series that creates the space for non-political and non-biased discussions to broaden the audience's knowledge and perspectives on the international community. I worked on planning and organizing each event by reaching out to the speakers and gathering information on their topics and expertise. I would then create the registration pages where audience can sign up to attend. On the days of the sessions, I would be on-site early to assist with setting up and welcoming in audience members.

When I was not working in this component, I assisted with administrative tasks in the office. I drafted and sent emails to create connections with relevant professionals and organizations that would be ideal for Upstate International to form partnerships with. One of the other big tasks I worked on was Upstate International Month (UI Month). During the entire month of March each year, Upstate International partners with businesses and organizations in the region to host over 100 internationally-themed events to celebrate the cultural diversity of the community. I researched and contacted events already happening in March and introduced UI Month to highlight the benefits of a collaboration for their event, organization and the community. Upon confirmation, I coordinated the exchange of the necessary information for the marketing director to promote the events on our website, social media, and other platforms. This experience not only helped me develop organizational and relation building skills, but also made me appreciate the work and dedication of non-profits organizations.

During Spring 2024, I also had the pleasure of interning with The United Way of Anderson County in Anderson, SC. Their mission is to develop plans to meet the most urgent needs and create positive changes in the lives of their residents. Working under the CEO, I was able to get insight on how the organization uses businesses, community groups, political leaders, and most importantly volunteers to help make these impacts. I learned about the steps it takes to address the most pressing issues focusing on basic needs, financial stability, education, and health. One of my main responsibilities was at the front desk in the office where I managed their “211” resource line by answering phone calls to provide people with information and referring those in need to the appropriate agencies. My other administrative tasks included researching professional development programs for the staff and reporting the details to the COO. Outside of the office, I served as a mentor at a leadership camp for high school students in the county. I also traveled to participate in things such as food packing events for hungry children in the community, assisting with set ups and making decorations for networking events. With this fulfilling experience, I gained understanding on impactful decision-making.

Click below for a paper on my internship experience in which I discussed the integration of strategies for internationalizing opportunities in each organization.

Internship Paper

INTERNSHIPS

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