By Hillary Steen
I began my summer internship at the Greater Washington Community Foundation in June 2022. I found the job posting through the Impact Interns Program at the University of Maryland - where I am a graduate student - and was thrilled that it was an option. As a resident of Washington, D.C. who has worked in the nonprofit sector for several years, I have deep respect for the Foundation. I was curious about how a community foundation functioned and how it could inspire me in my own career path, so the internship was an exciting opportunity for me.
I worked in the development department primarily with Darcelle Wilson, Desmirra Quinnonez, and Amina Anderson on the Prince George's County initiatives. Joining this small but mighty team gave me access to various aspects of the department and allowed me to work on a variety of projects. Many of my tasks revolved around upcoming events and initiatives for the county, including the CLA, Sharing Prince George's, 25th Anniversary, and Day of Action. I created and edited concept papers, joined meetings with advisory board members and other stakeholders, researched text-to-give platforms, and wrote email invitations to CLA honorees and Sharing committee members. Additionally, I communicated extensively with advisory board members and county leaders to schedule key meetings between them and Darcelle, and I researched executive-level personnel at the University of Maryland. This kind of outreach and research enabled the department to start or cultivate relationships with important stakeholders.
Hillary taking part at the 2022 Faith and Philanthropy Breakfast on the first day of her internship.
Although I did not work at the Foundation for long, I appreciated the opportunities to work on disparate projects across the department. I enjoyed working with and learning from my colleagues throughout the organization, especially my core team. It was great learning more about Prince George's County: the passion and resolve that residents have around strengthening their county, the various stakeholders across sectors, and the exciting opportunities that can make a real difference in the community. I also learned about the complexities inherent in community foundations and the importance of board governance, and had the chance to strengthen my professional communication and writing skills. As I finish up my last semester of graduate school, I hope to take these lessons with me to class and into my future career.
Hillary Steen interned with The Community Foundation from June 2022 to August 2022 and was a huge help to our Prince George’s County office! We loved having her as a part of our Community Foundation family and wish her all the best in her endeavors!
If you are interested in joining The Community Foundation, we’d love to work with you! Click here to see available opportunities!