What are three things that you have learned or taken away from this summer?
Whether it be my project at TechTown or the countless Detroit Tigers games, my Duke Engage experience has been one that I have vastly enjoyed. Throughout my time in the city this summer I have learned so much about the nonprofit sector, consulting work, and Detroit itself. I have also taken so much out of not only the work I have done specifically for my partner organization, but also the moments I had while exploring Motor City. However, the three things I would like to highlight from my experience this summer are truly how to engage with a new city, how to best serve as an intern, and how nonprofits operate internally.
- How to Engage with a New City. The second I landed in Detroit, I immediately wanted to explore the city. I unpacked my things and quickly traveled down Detroit’s famous Woodward Avenue, and saw all that the city had to offer. I made sure to speak with locals any opportunity I got to uncover the best “hidden” attractions of the city, and never was afraid of the uncertain and unknown. This allowed me to find small restaurants and businesses that I never simply could find from a Google search or a scroll on Yelp. I hope to use these lessons anytime I have the opportunity to explore the new of a city, place, or experience.
- How to Best Serve as an Intern. Prior to beginning work at TechTown, the cohort and I received training on how to best serve ad interns this summer. After my work this summer combined with this training I have learned how to best serve as an intern and “play my role” within my team, company, or organization. This is a leeson I must take into future internships and then transition when I enter the working world in the long term.
- How Nonprofits Operate Internally. In a previous blog post I discussed all the new things I uncovered while working in the nonprofit sector this summer. In that post I explained how I learned about how nonprofits operate on the inside and collaborate with other organizations to better their overall mission or goals.