Meet Heloisa and Michelle. They are two fall semester interns on the Engagement Team and responsible for making sure our supporters are well taken care of. Heloisa was born and raised in Brazil, but she knew after attending the first Fourth Estate Summit in 2011 that her love of IC was only just beginning. Now that she’s done with college, Heloisa’s parents back home in Brazil fear they’ve lost her to San Diego forever. Michelle, on the other hand, hails from a town near Spokane, Washington. She knew after graduating from Seattle Pacific University that she wanted a career in nonprofits. Heloisa and Michelle recently sat down with me to tell me about their time at Invisible Children so far.
What does a typical day as an Engagement Intern look like?
Heloisa: We make calls, basically all day long. Right now, we’re in contact with Fourth Estate participants and sometimes we answer emails from them. We contact donors, say thank you to them and reach out to them however we can.
Michelle: Usually there will be one or two people working on incoming things, like people calling back or emailing back, and then the rest of us usually work on outgoing stuff, like making calls.
What sets your internship apart from others and what impact are you able to make in your specific role?
Michelle: We get the most contact with outside supporters, so a lot of what we do is about forging connection. We really depend on the support of schools and the people we see when we put on screenings, so I think we are the department that gets the most contact with those people. We get to hear what’s happening on the ground and the excitement of what’s happening outside of the office.
Heloisa: Also, we will be helping a lot when the #zeroLRA fundraising starts. We get to help our supporters figure out the best ways to fundraise, so I think it’s pretty cool that we get to be in the frontlines of fundraising.
What made you want to intern at Invisible Children?
Heloisa: Working here ended up becoming one of my biggest dreams after attending the first Fourth Estate Summit in 2011. I actually understood how I could help IC, and people encouraged me to apply. It’s pretty different for me now because in Brazil, I was the only person in my community to advocate and fundraise for IC. So being here, surrounded by people working with me for the same cause that I love—it’s amazing. It brings back to me the feeling that it was so worth it, all the effort I put in in Brazil. My job allows me to talk to international supporters and Brazilians, so it’s cool that I can tell them about my own experience and hopefully they can learn from it.
Michelle: My experience was pretty different. It was the same in that there wasn’t a lot of supporter activity up in Spokane or Seattle. I’d heard of IC in high school and then kept it in the back of my mind. I graduated from college and I knew I wanted to work for a nonprofit but I didn’t know what to focus on. My sister-in-law’s sister had been a Roadie two years ago and I had heard that her experience had been really good, but I wasn’t sure being a Roadie was what I wanted to do. I started looking more into the IC Intern program and ended up applying to a few different positions.
What’s your favorite part about living in San Diego?
Heloisa: The beach! And Mexican food. I love the beach because it reminds me of home.
Michelle: I’d say the food, particularly the variety of food. I also love the diversity of things to do here, because you can go to the beach but you can also go to Balboa Park or to a movie. You can do whatever you want, which is really fun.
What’s it like working and living with other interns?
Heloisa: It’s a crazy yet great experience. I feel like we actually become a family and the fact that you are surrounded by those people makes this experience much better and unique. It also pushes you to learn to adapt and live in community.
Michelle: The very first moment that I walked into the house, it was very overwhelming, and I didn’t know how things were going to go. But after the first full day of meeting people, it became normal life. I love that there are so many people because it offers a variety of people to talk or hang out with. Even in just a month, I feel that we are all connected in a very special way. I can only imagine what it will be like at the end of the semester.
In one sentence, why do you love working for Invisible Children?
Heloisa: It’s a strong community united for an important cause.
Michelle: Because of the community and the staff, and how inviting and comfortable it is.
What advice would you give a future intern?
Michelle: Honestly, I would say jump first, fear later. You can’t over think things. There are some interns here who were accepted the first time they applied and others who have tried 3 or 4 times. But those who have applied multiple times have mentioned that they are more prepared and ready than they would have been. Everyone has a purpose and something unique to offer to Invisible Children, but what is really cool is that you don’t have to be in the office to make a difference. We rely heavily on those outside of the office. I would advise anyone who wants to apply to keep supporting Invisible Children in their hometown or school, no matter what happens because that is where real work is getting done. But don’t give up on your dreams.
Heloisa: Be ready for a completely life-changing experience. There is so much to learn and live here, but the way you accept it can make all the difference.
We’re looking for passionate individuals like Heloisa and Michelle to join our Spring 2014 Engagement Team. If you’d like to learn more about how you can be a part of the team, view our internship openings and fill out an application which are open now through October 21.
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