Connecticut Nurses Association, East Berlin, CT
As an intern at the Connecticut Nurses Association, I worked mainly in technology and design, but offered my help wherever I could! CT Nurses aims to bring nurses together to create a better environment for nurses and patients alike. The internship exceeded my expectations. I spent a lot of time learning new programs, seeing the inner workings of a nonprofit, and learning about the roles of boards and committees in an organization. From the first day my ideas were asked about and valued, forcing me to think outside of the box and form new solutions on the spot. I worked heavily on the CT Nurses’ website after learning their web program called Wild Apricot. I was able to learn new tricks and design tips to pass on to the organization to continue in their new updates, as well as learned how to incorporate my own html to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing layout. In the end I was able to recommend a “What We Do” page and create an example that is being shown to the board this fall for approval! I also assisted in creating form letters to send to webinar speakers, posters for new events, analyzing Excel spreadsheets of member engagement data, and learning a lot about how an organization is run.
My internship allowed me to feel a lot more confident about where I am and where I am going. I have always had many passions and interests and the thought of picking one for the rest of my life has loomed overhead for a long time. However, through attending CT nurses “Pathways and Opportunities” webinar series, as well as working within the organization, I discovered the many outlets you can pursue with a nurse’s degree. From a pediatric nurse to essential oil and yoga nurse, there was nothing you couldn’t make happen with this one degree. It made me feel more confident that I can find something I am passionate about and interested in no matter the field or degree I end up in.
This internship also kept my eyes open to the importance of a computer science understanding. Whether it was writing a letter or creating a webpage, my background in computer science definitely came in handy. Now, I am confident I want to pursue osteopathic medicine in addition to keeping a heavy course load in computer science for as long as I can. I have also become more confident in applying to osteopathic medicine schools with this valuable experience under my belt.
My passion for helping others and natural remedies has grown greatly, and I hope to spread my enthusiasm to others in order to make an impact. I am so appreciative of both the Kraft Family and the ’68 Center for Career Exploration’s support as it has enabled me to pursue this internship and explore my dream career. I wouldn’t have been able to choose a major if it wasn’t for you, never mind be able to feel confident the field I am going into is right for me. This experience was truly priceless, thank you again!