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Intern Testimonials
I was the Communications and Development intern during Summer 2021 and I had a great experience. I was able to get a much better understanding of how nonprofits operate daily, as well as learn what resources are needed to provide youth with care. I also had the freedom to work on my own projects like writing the monthly donor newsletter, which gave me great experience writing for a public audience. Overall, I had a great time, learned a lot, and got to meet a lot of very cool people over my Summer.
My internship with Covenant House pushed me to grow both as a professional and an active citizen. As a Development and Wellness intern, I learned about how nonprofits operate and how Covenant House specifically addresses youth homelessness and human trafficking through its unique programs. Additionally, my internship allowed me to engage with New Orleans in a way that I had not before, increasing my awareness of the drivers of homelessness and the intersections between insecure housing and other domains, such as education and healthcare. The most memorable part of my experience at Covenant House was encountering staff members across various teams and learning about their experiences and passions
Interning with Covenant House gave me the opportunity to understand the social issues of New Orleans and grow as a professional. While I worked with the Development team, I learned how nonprofits run and make a large impact. My supervisors helped me comprehend the importance of investing in and supporting New Orleans youth, and I grew to be a passionate advocate of youth experiencing homelessness, single parenting, trauma, rejection, and mental health crises. I hope in the future to be a supporter of Covenant House and hope to plan a Sleep Out for my community. Overall, I would certainly recommend this organization to anyone looking for a meaningful internship.
My favorite part of the internship was being at the physical office location and personally connecting with the community and staff face-to-face. After experiencing nearly an entire year of lockdowns due to Covid-19, it felt refreshing to be around such supportive people while working to serve others. I also really enjoyed working in the office because, like the rest of the location, it felt very open and like a college campus, which is something I didn’t expect.
The most important lesson that I garnered from this experience is that it’s never too late to take an opportunity like this. I began this internship 5 year post-graduation, while still working a full-time job. Everyone at the center was understanding of my outside work responsibilities, and showed flexibility and patience with their time for me. It’s certainly an experience that I will never forget.
Throughout my internship with CHNO I gained a valuable understanding of how nonprofits work, how to work in an office setting, and the causes of homelessness in New Orleans. My internship helped me become a more complete and responsible part of the NOLA community. One of my favorite moments during my internship wasn’t an exact moment but it was our weekly ELIN professional development workshops. Every week during these meetings, I really got to know my supervisors and fellow interns; each workshop was a unique learning experience and a time to debrief on our projects that I looked forward to every week.
