My Summer Internship at Maryland Nonprofits
By Anne Radcliffe, Maryland Nonprofits Marketing and Communications Intern, Summer 2018
Through ever-changing and hectic schedules, Annual Conference preparations, and day-to-day communications with the Maryland Nonprofits community, my time here in the office has offered every opportunity I could hope for. Walking into my first day as an intern I was overdressed and unsure of what the summer would hold. On my last day here at Maryland Nonprofits, I leave the organization that has become a launch pad for wherever my future takes me, and a place to always call my first home.
At the start of the summer, I was nervous to walk into a Marketing and Communications Internship when I only had the experience that my general business communications class had given me. The first welcoming face I became acquainted with was not Lydia or Allison, who make up the fabulous and busy Marketing Department. Instead, Rachel, who works magic behind the scenes, greeted me with a tour of the office and introduced me to the rest of the staff. Faces I thought I would only meet once appeared all summer, with cheerful “good mornings” and helpful guidance. I was able to work with multiple staff members and catch a glimpse of the important work they do throughout the summer, which I found to be an important part of my internship experience.
Though I was able to enjoy the company of a few Maryland Nonprofits team members, Lydia and Allison were the supervisors who put me to work in the best ways. As “Directors of Buzz” and “Engineers of Happiness,” Lydia and Allison were hard at work launching the Annual Conference and creating a new website when I arrived. They invited me right into the chaos of multiple projects going on at once. Just from sitting in the office with them while we worked, I learned so much about Maryland Nonprofits and its inner-workings. With their help, I tackled multiple programs and systems and quickly became a part of the well-oiled machine that is the Marketing Department. They gave me the information I needed and the freedom to create, but mostly they gave me a wonderful summer of learning and growing.
Even on days when I was so focused on working with the Marketing team to deliver content to members, there were opportunities all over the office for me. I met with other interns, and staff members who took the time to host sessions that explained their positions, how nonprofits work, and information about the sector as a whole. In weekly staff meetings, I was included in the updates and the goings-on of the entire office. The opportunities presented to me by all of the staff at Maryland Nonprofits granted me with a well-rounded and enlightening internship experience, which has set me up to continue on my own path to success.
Though I am sad to leave Maryland Nonprofits after just a few short summer months, I leave with a newfound confidence and drive that I can bring to the next part of my journey. I will always remember what a welcoming and learning environment Maryland Nonprofits has been, and how it has deepened my appreciation and understanding of nonprofit work.