The Intern Life: Life Lessons & New Friends

I am very grateful for my time interning at Running Start. Although this internship wasn’t what I was expecting according to the given description, I was able to network with incredible women in politics and other interns in the D.C. area. However, there were many obstacles at this internship. There were too many interns in the office (11 college interns for 2 months, and 6 high school interns) which became an issue early on in regards to tasks that were given out by the staff. Most days we would have to compete over tasks to accomplish or would end up splitting tasks to help each other out.

One piece of advice I’d definitely give next year’s interns is to start looking for internships early in the academic year. Try to get the most information about your internship as possible from your supervisor, including what your responsibilities will look like, projects for the summer, start/end dates, and professional development opportunities. Another piece of advice I’d give to future interns would include being honest and upfront with your supervisor about how the internship is going. Don’t be afraid to ask for more substantial work or a new project.

In terms of career exploration, this internship showed me that I might work better in an environment that requires travelling around the city or country more. It also showed me that I probably would enjoy working for a larger company or non-profit organization. I realized how passionate I am about Wake Forest and about promoting a brand such as Wake’s Pro Humanitate motto, which led me to thinking about working in higher education or for a more hands-on, service-based non-profit organization.

Thank you again for this Kirby grant and for such an incredible experience in the city of Washington D.C.! I am very grateful for all of the advice I received from Wake Forest alumni, from my new intern friends, and women in politics along the way.

Go Deacs!

Daniella Feijoo

Class of 2019