U.S. Green Building Council New York

Organization: U.S. Green Building Council New York

City: New York, NY

Unpaid

I interned here in the Spring of 2009 and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in green building or sustainable development. While my tasks are often tedious and consist of lots of data entry, there are also some really fun projects that interns are assigned to. I have worked on putting together educational events that are hosted by teh USGBC as well as picking “sustainable menus” for events. I would say that one of the most satisfying parts of working at the USGBC is working with some really great, fun people who are all interested in working for a great cause. I have met some wonderful people in the office as well as at networking events outside of the office sponsored by the USGBC. Another great perk about this internship is the free access to events and LEED workshops. If you’re looking to get LEED certified, this is a perfect opportunity. With free study classes and potentially free LEED exam registration, this is an incredible opportunity to get a head start in the green building field. Employers really respect the USGBC and it’s contributions to the green industry, so this is a great resume addition.

Struever Bros., Eccles & Rouse

Company: Struever Bros., Eccles & Rouse

City: Boston, MA

Unpaid

I interned in the summer of 2008 at SBER. The set up was a little strange since the position was a last minute offer from a mutual family friend. So when I arrived there, I had my own desk with my own computer, but didn’t really have a lot to do. Both of my supervisors were based in Baltimore, so I didn’t really have constant contact with them, but it worked out pretty nicely so that I had about one big project per week to work on. I particularly liked this internship because of the perks of working at Fenway Park. If you’re a Red Sox fan, this internship is awesome: free pass to the park whenever you want (yes, even during games!) with the occasional sighting of Red Sox players. Other than that, my work entailed normal intern tasks (filing, making spreadsheets, etc.), but I also got to work on some significant projects, such as LEED certification of Fenway Park as well as putting together press packets and other research documents. This was definitely an office job, but extremely useful if you’re looking to get into the real estate, development field. Struever Bros. is a pretty well known company, so it looks great on a resume. I also really enjoyed the people I worked with– a real variety of pretty cool people, young and old. All in all, I would definitely recommend this internship.

Foro Ciudadano de Participación por la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos (FOCO)

Organization: Foro Ciudadano de Participación por la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos (FOCO)

City: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Unpaid

I loved working at FOCO.  Basically, the organization has two parts.  One works on transnational corporations and their human rights abuses and the other part works on gender issues.  This is because the founders are a husband and wife team who specialize in these areas.  I worked for both- mostly translating between English and Spanish for the transnational corporation side and then working coding interviews for the gender side.  I also had the opportunity to develop a sexual education workshop curriculum with my boss and then go with her to teach it to a group of underserved students at a private school in La Matanza.  The people at FOCO were super nice, young, and liberal.  They were EXTREMELY patient with my Spanish, and always invited me to meetings.  They were also really open to helping me with my research project for school, and including me in any way I wanted to participate.  I enjoyed going there twice a week, and my Spanish improved greatly.

Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) Unclaimed Property Clearinghouse

Company: Affliated Computer Services (ACS) Unclaimed Property Clearinghouse

City: Boston, MA

Paid

In May 2008 I found this internship through my school’s career department.  The interview was short and sweet and I was offered the job on the spot, so I took it.  At first it was full time for the summer, 8-5, with opportunity for lots of overtime (sometimes mandatory). I started (and still remain) at $12 an hour.  The environment is a typical office I guess, lots of cubicals, dress is business casual, and most people I work with are 20 or 30ish.  They are all very nice and helpful (it’s not a completely strict environment, we joke around a lot), and my boss has been great.  The work itself is kind of mundane, but I do the same things as the rest of the people in my department, such as property requests, processing, and other duties randomly assigned, and yes, I did start out doing some dreaded filing.  I use the computer about 99% of the day, especially excel, access, word, and other programs ACS uses to process issues and etc, so computer skills are important. I thought I was only going to be there until the end of August, but they hired me part time afterward, and I can work as much or as little as I want! They are very flexible, and along with an hourly wage they offer bonuses if we make budget each quarter (pt gets only half, but still, can’t complain!) Currently I work M-F 8-2, and I’m glad to have a job, even though it might not exactly be what I want to do forever.  Overall, it has been a good experience though, and I would recommend this internship to another person.

MADRE- Programs Department

Organization: MADRE

City: New York, NY

“Paid”- $10/day

I had a terrible experience working for MADRE.  The organization is an established women’s human rights non-profit that works around the world.  As an intern for the programs department, all I really did was do online research or translate from English to Spanish and vice versa.  The thing I really hated about the experience was that no one spoke to me.  My boss, Natalia Caruso, had no interest in me other than the work I produced and never even asked me what my major was at school.  No one else in the office even bothered to introduce themselves.  I was never invited to meetings or even to eat lunch with others.  They simply shoved me in a dingy office by myself and gave me things to do.  My boss was not very good at communicating what she wanted, and then acted annoyed when I asked clarifying questions.  Perhaps my experience would have been different if I had worked in a different department, but stay away from Programs, people!!

IkamvaYouth, Connect123

Organization: IkamvaYouth

City: Capetown, South Africa

Unpaid

I interned through Connect123 at IkamvaYouth and had a very rewarding experience. The important thing to keep in mind when interning/volunteering/working ANYWHERE in a country that does not have the same cultural expectations or customs is that you have to keep an open mind and be willing to be creative. Ikamva is the type of place where if you have the motivation and the leadership drive then you’ll find many different ways to contribute which will be extremely valuable. The students, tutors, and administrators are very dedicated. As an intern there, I definitely realized how important it was to take initiative and get involved. If you sit back and wait for someone to tell you what to do and you’re very passive, then you are not the person for the job. You have to know what your qualities are and use them! If you ask for something to do, or share your ideas, then you will see how well received these efforts are. Ikamva has so many opportunities for those interested in assisting very motivated yet severely disadvantaged youth, and if you step up to the plate, you won’t only see how much you can make a difference, but how important your efforts are to an amazing cause. For those who are creative and passionate, this will be one of the most rewarding and experiences you’ll ever have.

Connect123 is the family you’ll have away from home. You will find friends forever in some of the other interns. Connect123 provides many great opportunities for you to get out into Cape Town and experience different places and people. Any concerns anyone had were taken seriously and they work hard to ensure everyone’s safety and happiness.

The Transgender Project, National Development and Research Institute

Organization: The Transgender Project, National Development and Research Institute

City: New York, NY

Unpaid

This internship was one of the best experiences I’ve had.  This research study followed 600 transgender people for a few years, mainly focusing on HIV and general health.  The surveys were lengthy and both English and Spanish speaking subjects participated.  Working at the study really gave me a good understanding of what it’s like to conduct public health research.  My supervisors, Dr. Larry Nuttbrock and Monica Macri, were both extremely generous and helpful.  They both took a genuine interest in me and tried to explain things along the way.  I did a fair amount of clerical work (checking that each question on surveys was completed, data entry) but I also got to do cooler projects (figuring out coding for one section of the survey, coding it, changing qualitative data to quantitative data).  And the nice part was that when I did have to do clerical work, Monica would be doing it as well, so I never felt like I was a slave.  They were extremely appreciative of my help and they engaged me in intelligent discussion frequently.  Unfortunately, the research study is closing down in the next few months, but if you ever get the chance to work for either of these people, you should!!

U.S. House of Representatives- District Office of Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney

Organization: U.S. House of Representatives- District Office of Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney

City: New York, NY

Unpaid

This internship opened my eyes to the world of politics and made me realize that people work too hard and make too little in this field.  I learned a lot throughout my time at the office, particularly about writing congressional correspondence and dealing with constituents.  The various people that worked at the office were mostly friendly, though they were stressed out the majority of the time.  My proudest accomplishment during this internship was writing several pieces to be put in the Congressional Record.  That was pretty cool.  However, they had trouble keeping me busy, and the days often passed very slooooowly.  I think part of that was being at Rep. Maloney’s Disrict Office, where she usually isn’t.  The thing I really didn’t like about the internship though was that Rep. Maloney never once spoke to me.  I was never introduced to her, though I worked there for a whole semester and saw her at the office several times.  I felt underappreciated and that she was kind of rude.  Otherwise, it was a good glimpse into what being a legislative staffer is like.

Shanti

Organization: Shanti

City: San Francisco, CA

Unpaid

I was the HIV Services intern for Shanti during the summer of 2007.  I absolutely loved it there.  The work itself is extremely rewarding.  Shanti provides emotional and practical support to people living with AIDS.  I spent time working with several clients one-on-one, as well as working in the drop-in center with more transient clients. I also helped organize a women’s support group, and learned a TON about social services in San Francisco.  This internship definitely requires you to be adventurous and sometimes fearless as you will see and hear about things that you probably have never been exposed to in the past.  Shanti’s offices are located in the Tenderloin, so even getting to work can be eye-opening.  The people that work at Shanti are some of the coolest folks I’ve ever met- super relaxed, liberal, and eager to help interns learn.  I loved my summer their and continue to fundraise for the organization and stay in touch with people who work there.

CNN- Anderson Cooper 360

Company: CNN – Anderson Cooper 360

City: New York, NY

Unpaid

I can’t comment completely on this experience as I’ve only been here for about a month. That being said, I have thoroughly enjoyed working at CNN. I feel like the company has a very well structured intern program that is focused on incorporating it’s interns into everyday work tasks as well as training them extensively. I have attended training sessions on various news-related software that have not only boosted my resume, but also my work skills. The staff is very friendly, and us interns are utilized by all types of staff members. I find that I am busy the vast majority of the day, and the work day goes by very quickly. If you are interested in hard news and politics, CNN is definitely a great opportunity. I have heard that the internship is very competitive, but it’s absolutely worth the effort. I wish I could elaborate more!