It’s pretty wild to believe that our summer interns, Ben and Sarah, have been here for a month already. It hasn’t taken nearly that long for us to fall in love with them, which is why we’re excited for you get to know them too!

We sat down with these two gems for an inside scoop into what it’s like to intern with Invisible Children in Washington, D.C.

So, Ben and Sarah, tell us about yourselves.

Ben: I just recently graduated from American University, here in D.C., with a degree in international relations. I jumped on board this summer as Invisible Children’s Communications Intern. That means, on a day-to-day basis, you’ll find me posting to social media, and writing blog posts on policy initiatives and conflict and program updates. Looking forward, I am hoping to pursue a career in conflict analysis, doing research on monitoring early warning signs for genocide and mass atrocities around the world.

Sarah: I am a rising senior at the University of South Carolina and studying Marketing and Management with a minor in International Studies. I am the Supporter Engagement Intern which basically means I get the awesome job of talking to Invisible Children’s amazing supporters about all of our programs which they make possible. In the future I hope to attend grad school for international affairs, and continue working in the non-profit sector.

How did you become interested in the work of Invisible Children?

Ben: I learned about the LRA conflict and Invisible Children through my studies in college. Hearing about Invisible Children’s programs and how I could be a part of ending the conflict made me feel empowered to do more and to learn more about what Joseph Kony was doing to communities. Although I haven’t been a superfan since the start, I am really happy to be doing meaningful work. It’s crazy to see everything all come together and see how the organization has played an immense role in influencing policy over the years for the counter-LRA mission.

Sarah: I had heard about Invisible Children in passing but my interest in the work really began to grow more recently, when I decided to focus on non-profit work. As I was doing more research on organizations, Invisible Children really stuck out to me. Ending LRA violence and supporting communities in central Africa has really become something I’m passionate about.

What is your favorite thing about interning in Washington, DC?

Ben: I love how everyone in D.C. is really passionate about what they do; it’s definitely a hard-working city. Everyone here seems to feed off of each other’s ambition, and it really pushes you to get involved and do more. Plus it’s a big city that doesn’t really feel overwhelming.

Sarah: My favorite part about D.C. is the history. I love being able to walk around and see all of our history commemorated in one place. It is amazing how everything in our country comes together here; there is so much excitement.

What did you think after your first day of your internship?

Ben: The Invisible Children team shared tons of information on the first day, which was a lot to take in initially. We learned so much about the history of Invisible Children from the beginning and how dynamic the LRA conflict is. I came out of my first day feeling really empowered to do more, and saw just how important it is to also empower communities in central Africa to do the same.

Sarah: My first thought was how amazing it was that everyone at Invisible Children is so passionate about our work. It is infectious. I learned everything I could about the conflict and what we could do to stop it. My family can attest I came home and could not stop talking about how great this organization was and how excited I was to be a part of it.

What is your favorite thing that you have ever done (besides working here, of course)?

Ben: Before I started my internship, I had the chance to go backpacking around Southeast Asia for a month. I got to experience a lot of different cultures, eat amazing food, and meet awesome people along the way. In the process, I learned a lot about what I’m capable of accomplishing by traveling on my own. They say that you have to step outside of your comfort zone to truly start living your life, and even when things are tough or culture shock hits you, it pays off to embrace the unknown. I want to go back as soon as I can.

Sarah: I lived in Paris last semester; it was the most amazing experience of my life. I was able to really immerse myself in the culture and got to experience living in a completely new place with all different people. I took classes, saw all the sights of Paris, and was able to travel throughout Europe. I learned how to be independent and to go outside of my comfort zone while being abroad.  

If you could be a superhero, who would you be?

Ben: The Flash because you could be anywhere within seconds, which would allow you to see so many different parts of the world.

Sarah: Wonder Woman because she’s a powerful woman who knows what she wants and goes after it.

Think you might want to join the team as an intern this Fall? We’re accepting applications now through August. Email us at [email protected] for details on applying.