Meet Shannon and Megan. They’re members of our Engagement Team. As interns they’re responsible for ensuring that our donors are taken care of, as well as answering questions about the organization and the LRA conflict. Their department is often referred to as Fun-gagement and Megan and Shannon are sometimes referred to as best friend-terns (#sometimes). Megan has a talent for making hamburger cookies, and Shannon has a spot-on velociraptor impression. No wonder they’re such great friends. I recently sat down with these BFFs to learn more about their time with Invisible Children. Here’s what they had to say.
What sets your internship apart from others and what impact are you able to make in your specific role?
Shannon: The staff really appreciates our input. We had one day this semester where we came into work and instead of our usual tasks, Noah, Catherine, and Joanna (our staff team) asked us to meet as a team and discuss the changes we could make to our jobs to help improve the position. From that we had awesome ideas, which resulted in positive change.
Megan: One thing that I’ve noticed about Invisible Children as a whole is that the staff doesn’t necessarily view us an interns but as people to be invested in, and they genuinely care about investing in our personal and professional well-being.
What’s one thing that you’ve learned at Invisible Children that you’ll carry with you after your internship is over?
Megan: I’ve learned so much about teamwork. The Engagement team is largest in terms of interns, and learning how to work together, to encourage one another, and utilize each others strengths is something I’ll take with me after this is over.
Shannon: When I was 17 I got on a plane and came to California, started interning at Invisible Children, and turned 18 a week later. I had never lived away from home. Before I came here I couldn’t even order a pizza and now I call 50 donors a day. I have learned so much about myself and have grown up and grown better because of the community I’m surrounded by.
In one sentence, why do you love working for Invisible Children?
Shannon: I love working for Invisible Children because you’re valued and appreciated, and the work we’re doing truly matters.
Megan: I love working for Invisible Children because we have the opportunity to make an impact, while working and living in such a unique community.
What advice would you give a future intern?
Megan: I would say be flexible with everything you do. Attitude is everything.
Shannon: To paraphrase Jed, put your all into everything you do. The time you have here is short and you’re not going to remember the nights you got enough sleep. So stay up late, have conversations and invest in those around you. You don’t want to leave regretting the experiences you didn’t have. Also be prepared to take notes. Jason, Jed, and Ben are constantly spitting out nuggets of gold, so always be prepared to write it down.
What does the ideal Saturday in San Diego look like?
Shannon: Sleep in. Wake up. Get cute. Grab some of the amazing people you live with, get on a trolley, and go to the beach.
Megan: There’s always someone in the house that is willing to hang out, so go somewhere with them and do something you haven’t done before. Discover new things.
Invisible Children is all about community. What’s it like working and living with other interns?
Shannon: I love it. There are so many different departments, so there are a lot of interns that you don’t always see at work. I don’t know how HR does it but they find some amazing people to intern here and be in community with. It’s always so much fun.
Megan: I agree. There’s always something to do and someone willing to do it with you. But at the same time there are opportunities to take time to be by yourself.
What’s been your favorite memory so far?
Megan: I think the day we filmed the Taylor Swift video. The whole day was so much fun. We got to be a part of something that turned out really cool. We got to be a part of making something that James (Production Assistant) loves to do, and allowed him to be creative with the video.
Shannon: My favorite memory was Girl’s Beach Day. The majority of the people we live with are girls, so we went to the beach and just relaxed all day. It was really fun. We came home and celebrated Texas Independence Day. We live with a very proud Texan and she made an amazing dinner of chicken fried steak and all of this food that she grew up with. It was so cool to be a part of something so important to her.
Shannon, you graduated high school last spring and you came to Invisible Children almost immediately after that and have been here for almost a year. You’re going to begin college in the fall. What advice would give to students who are thinking about taking time off in between high school and college?
Shannon: For me it was without a doubt the best decision I’ve ever made. If you’re afraid that you’re going to be behind because you don’t go to college right away, I can promise you that you will grow so much more as a person, and will gain experience that you would never gain in a freshman lecture hall. I can promise you, it will be an amazing experience. If you feel like this is where you’re supposed to be then you owe it to yourself to apply.
Interested in interning with Invisible Children? We’re looking for inspiring individuals like Shannon and Megan to join our Fall 2013 Engagement Team. As an intern this Fall you will hit the ground running in early August when our entire organization makes the final preparations for the The Fourth Estate Leadership Summit. You’ll play an integral role in making this event a success. If you’d like to learn more about how you can be a part of the team this upcoming semester, you can find a full job description and application on our website. The deadline to apply is May 24th.
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