Beyond Barnard: How I Got Started in the Non-Profit World
When I first came to Barnard, it was really important to me that I connected my academic goals with my professional ones. Barnard’s location in New York City makes it possible to balance school and work, and many students here choose to hold internships or off-campus jobs that allow them to pursue their career goals. That being said, it can be really hard to know where to start and as a first year, I felt like I wasn’t qualified for any of the jobs I wanted, even though that wasn’t true! Barnard helped me to recognize my potential, and by utilizing their resources, I was able to land my dream summer internship after my first year! Over the summer, I worked at Planned Parenthood Federation of America in the development department. And this year, I also secured a development internship at Brennan Center for Justice. Here are some of the resources I used at Barnard to land these internships!
During my first year, I visited Beyond Barnard in my first semester. I started going to Beyond Barnard events, gained information on various fields, and networked with professionals pursuing paths that were similar to mine. Every year, Beyond Barnard gathers a bunch of different organizations for an opportunities fair. During my first year, while I had no idea the career I wanted to pursue, I attended and spoke with the organizations there, networking along the way. After that, I kept going to Beyond Barnard events that interested me and kept in contact with the connections I had already made at the fair. Eventually, people started to notice that I had been attending these events, and a Dean at Beyond Barnard offered to meet with me and discuss my career goals. This was definitely a turning point for me at Barnard as I met with someone who looked over my resume, LinkedIn, and networking skills, and helped me to make connections with alumni working in nonprofits. Beyond Barnard also offered resources to find a paid internship, which was important to me as a first-generation low-income (FLI) student.
When Planned Parenthood summer internships came out, I immediately knew I wanted to work there. I applied to a bunch of different positions and got interviews for two of them. At this point, I once again attended Beyond Barnard where I met with their Peer Career Advisors (PCAs). The PCAs are available to help with resumes, provide feedback on cover letters, look through application materials, or even conduct a practice interview. Before my Planned Parenthood interview, I sat down with the PCAs to go over my application materials and practice my answers for the interview. They were really helpful, especially because PCAs have open office hours so I was able to just walk in and use their services when it was convenient for me.
That summer, I got the job at Planned Parenthood which helped confirm that I was on the right track in my academics and gave me the confidence to apply for more. Before utilizing Beyond Barnard and having the internship at Planned Parenthood, I thought of my academics and career as two very different, but related, goals. However, after the internship and Beyond Barnard’s help, I’ve realized that these two are tied together — even if what I’m studying doesn’t necessarily deal directly with my future career. My experiences at Planned Parenthood encouraged me to apply for opportunities that were outside of my field of interest and comfort zone. That summer, I applied for an NBC internship that I didn’t get. I did, however, get the chance to interview for that job, which was a really useful experience that was completely outside of my comfort zone and the field I saw myself working in the future. I did, however, receive a job offer for a development job at Brennan Center for Justice, a democracy nonprofit. I’ve held this position for the entirety of my sophomore year, and getting to spend this much time on a smaller development team has allowed me to get a lot more hands on expertise in the field. From this experience, I’ve realized that development is the field for me and I definitely want to work in reproductive justice, rights, or healthcare. Though my work at the Brennan Center is not in any of these fields, I’ve gained important development experience during my time there that can be applied to whichever organization I choose after college.
Overall, I was really happy that I chose to pursue an internship the summer after my first year. During my first year, I had a chance to get my footing, working as a BSAR (Barnard Student Admissions Representative) and a babysitter to cover my costs. However, after that first year, I knew I wanted to pursue a paid internship where I could really focus on my future career and passions. I knew I wanted to work at Planned Parenthood, and I’m really glad I was flexible in applications. I fell into development work because I applied to so many different positions and I just happened to really enjoy it. New York City is home to so many different industries and headquarters, so we are lucky to have endless options when it comes to internships.
This year as I explore internship opportunities in the midst of a pandemic, I’m thinking about where I’d like to be for the summer. I’m exploring different locations, including returning to my home state of Oregon or working virtually. Beyond Barnard has been really helpful in this process, as they are able to connect students with alumni from all over the world! I’m also trying to remember that everything happens for a reason — it’s definitely possible to get an internship if you’d like one, but we all have plenty of time at Barnard and as students, so there’s no rush!
-Maya Corral