During my internship at United Way of Southern Nevada, a non-profit organization, I worked in the External Affairs department as a community outreach intern. I participated in various community events, including a Senior Expo offering financial assistance, an internet access event, an aging and wellness expo for seniors, and an event supporting survivors and families of the Route 91 festival. This experience allowed me to understand how United Way positively impacts the Vegas community, and I was able to work with different groups of people.
As a Psychology major with a minor in Human Services, I think this internship does connect to my field of study. Psychology and human services involves understanding and empathzing with people to meet their needs, which is a crucial skill set in United Way’s work. In Las Vegas, where many are underserved, United Way strives to provide essential resources.
I believe anyone can be successful in this internship regardless of educational background. I do think that skills like effective communication, adaptability, and being proactive is beneficial to succeeding here and anywhere else. Within this specific department having a basic understanding of political science would definitely help, but also being people-oritented, and having a passion for helping people are skills that are needed at this organization, or in any non-profit organization.
To incoming interns, my biggest advice is to step out of your comfort zone and don't be afraid to try new things! Also, learn to communicate (whether its communicating about any concerns, questions, etc), take initiative, be proactive, and observe others for a valuable learning experience. I would also say to keep searching for internship opportunities whenever possible, or just take any opporunity where you can be in a different environment and learn, because it adds to your skillset and life experience.
Overall, I enjoyed my internship experience and I'm thankful for my supervisors, Janet and Henry, who were always very welcoming and understanding! Even though I probably won't end up working at a non-profit, I gained valuable experiences at this internship, which could help me if I do decide to work at a non-profit.
from left to right: Henry, fellow intern Yessenia, me, and Janet :)
