Nonprofit Leadership Intern at the Borgen Project

What did I do?

This semester, I completed a 12-week remote internship at the Borgen Project which is an innovative, national campaign that is working to make poverty a focus of U.S. foreign policy. Operating at the political level, the organization advocates for programs that are effective in combating extreme poverty. In my role as an NPL Intern, I raised $500, called and emailed Congress weekly, meet with congressional leader’s offices, mobilized others to email Congress, and implemented a marketing campaign.

What did I learn?

The number one thing I learned from my practicum was how to execute "the ask." As someone who studies nonprofit leadership, I do not have much experience actually fundraising. In my internship, I was tasked with a goal of raising $500 which involved reaching to friends, family, and local organizations and asking them to donate to the Borgen Project. Throughout the semester, I gained confidence in asking for money and explaining the organization's mission which I would not have learned without this experience.

Growth?

I have grown as a leader in this experience because of its remote nature. I did not have direct coworkers or people to encourage me to finish my tasks. I was only accountable for myself which was difficult at first but it made me a better leader because I certainly grew on my own. I also grew as a student because I feel I am constantly learning every day in my internship things that connect to my coursework. This makes me more invested in my classes because I see it in practice. Finally, I have grown as an individual because I developed a connection to fighting world poverty. I did not know much about the issue before but now I would certainly call myself an advocate.
I attached a table from my weekly tracker of my fundraising hours throughout the semester. Fundraising was one of the main and most useful skills I got out of this experience that I know will help me in my future career-whatever that may be. I am proud of the work I did and the amount ($500) I was able to fundraise in just a few months.