Interning at Goodnation - One Student's Experience
I wanted to intern at Goodnation because I support its cause of bridging the gap between non-profit organizations and donors.
Hi! My name is Indera. I am currently an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia with a major in Kinesiology. This past summer I had the opportunity to intern at Goodnation.
I wanted to intern at Goodnation because I support its cause of bridging the gap between non-profit organizations and donors.
Coming from an inner-city charter school that is also a non-profit, I understood the importance of gaining funding and the ways in which a lack of funding can affect the ability of the organization to perform at its best.
Thus, I was intrigued by Goodnation’s mission to connect organizations with philanthropists in a meaningful way. I also pursued this internship because I hope to work in the non-profit field after college. I hope to establish my own non-profit organization and use my studies in Kinesiology to advance regions around the world in knowledge about health and fitness.
During my time at Goodnation, I helped complete a number of important tasks that ultimately helped expand and enhance their philanthropic platform. Some of these tasks included researching charities and analyzing their performance, researching partners and writing profiles for vetted organizations. These tasks were especially rewarding for me because through research I learned about a wide variety of important causes that organizations are working to solve.
I also had the opportunity to accompany the Goodnation team on site visits. I engaged with the women of You Can Thrive, who are creating change in the world in health and wellness. Their mission is to provide affordable services and education to anyone with a breast cancer diagnosis. This unique service creates a support system for individuals and families facing the impact of cancer. I also attended a meeting with the Global Nomads Group, and learned about their initiative to create meaningful dialogue between students across the world. We were able to watch how students learn new languages and apply these skills to other students who are native speakers, while simultaneously creating long lasting relationships. During these meetings we learned about the mission of each organization, their goals for expansion and a number of their success stories. It was rewarding to witness the meaningful work that goes into running a nonprofit and executing its cause.
Over the course of two months, my internship at Goodnation taught me an abundance of important things about philanthropy and charitable giving.
The most prevalent thing I learned about was the complexity of the giving process. With thousands of different organizations to choose from, it can be challenging to decide which charity to donate to. That’s why the process should be thoughtful, even if it takes longer than anticipated, to ensure the donor selects a charity in which they can build a long-lasting relationship with.
My overall experience interning at Goodnation was extremely rewarding. Each work day was filled with a collective determination to fulfill Goodnation’s mission. I enjoyed working in such an inclusive space where my contributions felt valued and important. I look forward to continuing working in the non-profit field!
Thank you, Indera! Learn more about working at Goodnation.
