Throughout the summer, we will be featuring the stories of current Tufts students. If you are interested in sharing your own internship experience with Tufts students, please consider participating in the annual TIP book. The TIP book is a collection of internship descriptions and advice provided by Tufts students for Tufts students. Click here to share information about your internship experience by August 1, 2012 and enter to win an iPad.*
Name: Sarah Tralins
Class Year: 2014
Major: Child Development
Hometown: Miami, FL
Internship Organization: Room to Grow, Boston, MA
Internship Title: Development and Program Intern
1. Describe Room to Grow.
Room to Grow is a non-profit based in Boston and New York that works to enrich the lives of infants born into poverty throughout their first three years of development - the most critical years that are unaccounted for in the United States' educational and healthcare system for low-income families. Expecting parents are referred to Room to Grow by a hospital or medical professional and visit our location in the Back Bay for one-on-one appointments with our social workers. We also provide needed baby items, included clothing, gear, and books to ensure a healthy start for the child.
2. What are your primary internship responsibilities?
My primary responsibility is to work with the managing staff to ensure that in-kind donations are acknowledged, that community relations are strong, and to help out in other areas where I can. I provide fundraising and development support while learning about non-profit management; I've worked with the Managing Director, Inventory Coordinator and other staff to gain insight on how non-profits work behind the scenes.
3. What led you to pursue this type of work?
I've always loved working with kids and helping others; I'm a Child Development major, a Tisch Scholar, and very active in community service. I became interested in non-profit management during Nancy Lippe's "Experimenting with Philanthropy" class. The class acted as a board and we awarded various non-profits a total of $20,000, funded by the Lady Sunshine Foundation and the Highland Family Foundation. We interviewed professionals at different non-profits in Somerville, Medford and Chinatown to learn more about their organizations and hear their grant proposals. Meeting with the people who ran the show at these non-profits really inspired me to learn more about the management and business side of these amazing organizations.
4. Describe one highlight of your internship experience thus far.
Elizabeth, my supervisor and the Community Relations Director, gives me projects that are challenging. For example, I had to write a personalized letter thanking a big donor for their recent work relating to a collection drive and fundraising event that was both customized and professional. When I gave it to Elizabeth for review, she said I'd finally gotten the swing of how to reach out to donors, as well as appeal to them to continue giving. I felt so proud of myself knowing that in only a few weeks time, I'd gotten the hang of this work - and while she did edit a few small things, I saw that I'd learned a new and valuable skill.
5. Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you or your internship experience?
Every day I'm in for something new! I helped organize a fundraising event at our new office space (and blew up balloons, too) during my first week, and then started doing research on early child development and poverty for the organization’s Director the next. I've been able to really experience every side of non-profit and business management just by reaching out to the staff and asking questions. They want me to succeed and I want to learn from them, so it's been a great relationship. Plus, getting to explore the Back Bay and get a feel for what a real job is like (I go in three times a week, 9-5) has been really nice.
Name: Sarah TralinsClass Year: 2014
Major: Child Development
Hometown: Miami, FL
Internship Organization: Room to Grow, Boston, MA
Internship Title: Development and Program Intern
1. Describe Room to Grow.
Room to Grow is a non-profit based in Boston and New York that works to enrich the lives of infants born into poverty throughout their first three years of development - the most critical years that are unaccounted for in the United States' educational and healthcare system for low-income families. Expecting parents are referred to Room to Grow by a hospital or medical professional and visit our location in the Back Bay for one-on-one appointments with our social workers. We also provide needed baby items, included clothing, gear, and books to ensure a healthy start for the child.
2. What are your primary internship responsibilities?
My primary responsibility is to work with the managing staff to ensure that in-kind donations are acknowledged, that community relations are strong, and to help out in other areas where I can. I provide fundraising and development support while learning about non-profit management; I've worked with the Managing Director, Inventory Coordinator and other staff to gain insight on how non-profits work behind the scenes.
3. What led you to pursue this type of work?
I've always loved working with kids and helping others; I'm a Child Development major, a Tisch Scholar, and very active in community service. I became interested in non-profit management during Nancy Lippe's "Experimenting with Philanthropy" class. The class acted as a board and we awarded various non-profits a total of $20,000, funded by the Lady Sunshine Foundation and the Highland Family Foundation. We interviewed professionals at different non-profits in Somerville, Medford and Chinatown to learn more about their organizations and hear their grant proposals. Meeting with the people who ran the show at these non-profits really inspired me to learn more about the management and business side of these amazing organizations.
4. Describe one highlight of your internship experience thus far.
Elizabeth, my supervisor and the Community Relations Director, gives me projects that are challenging. For example, I had to write a personalized letter thanking a big donor for their recent work relating to a collection drive and fundraising event that was both customized and professional. When I gave it to Elizabeth for review, she said I'd finally gotten the swing of how to reach out to donors, as well as appeal to them to continue giving. I felt so proud of myself knowing that in only a few weeks time, I'd gotten the hang of this work - and while she did edit a few small things, I saw that I'd learned a new and valuable skill.
5. Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you or your internship experience?
Every day I'm in for something new! I helped organize a fundraising event at our new office space (and blew up balloons, too) during my first week, and then started doing research on early child development and poverty for the organization’s Director the next. I've been able to really experience every side of non-profit and business management just by reaching out to the staff and asking questions. They want me to succeed and I want to learn from them, so it's been a great relationship. Plus, getting to explore the Back Bay and get a feel for what a real job is like (I go in three times a week, 9-5) has been really nice.
