Guest Youth Council Post: Jeffrey L

 


When I first applied to Enterprise?s summer internship program, I knew that I wanted to work in some kind of an administrative position, though I had no idea what I wanted to pursue as a long-term career. Upon receiving the offer for Mother Jones, I was immediately intrigued by its reputation as a prestigious nonprofit magazine and news organization. On paper, I anticipated the job to be a series of monotonous tasks and awkward social interactions. Luckily, that was not the case.

Through assisting the development team, I learned about the operation of a nonprofit organization behind the scenes. Over the course of seven weeks, I gained a number of invaluable skills and experiences. For example, I familiarized myself with Salesforce by working on its database. I conducted prospect research, which I thought was a fun opportunity to find people online and determine their giving capacity. I had never realized the great lengths that nonprofits go through to maintain positive relationships with their donors. By collaborating with my team members, I also grew more confident in my ability to communicate effectively. Looking back, I am so grateful for my co-workers and mentors, who willingly spent their time to connect with me both on a professional and personal level. As a result, I realized that I want to continue towards a similar path in the future.

This summer, I will be interning at the Stuart Foundation, a nonprofit organization awarding grants towards public education and child welfare. I am also excited to attend UC Davis in the fall, where I plan to study sociology and advance my career in the nonprofit sector. Big thanks to Enterprise for giving me the opportunities I needed to succeed after high school!

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