Borgen Project

Political Affairs

April - June 2020 • Tallahassee, FL

What I liked

Clear Communication Helpful Staff Enhanced writing, fundraising and mobilization skills Gave me political affairs experience through contact w/ local members of congress

What I wish was different

Perhaps a Stipend of Some Sort

Advice

Definitely stay on task w/ your microsoft doc. it is very hard when you get behind.

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Administrative and Operations Intern

June - August 2020 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I liked that there were ample opportunities to build up skills for my resume.

What I wish was different

At times, I felt that the structured nature of the internship limited my capacity for creativity and real opportunities for growth (beyond some practical resume-building activities).

Advice

All internships are what you make of it. Try to operate within the structure of this internship in a way that allows you to achieve what YOU wish to get out of it.

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Nonprofit Leadership Intern

May - July 2021 • State College, PA

What I liked

Very flexible and mission driven organization. The organization does well in providing you the tools and resources to successfully advocate for ending global poverty.

What I wish was different

I wish there were more opportunities to connect with other interns, although Slack is useful as well.

Advice

Be able to work independently as this is a remote organization.

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Writer Intern

June - August 2019 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I loved that I was able to work remotely and on my own schedule.

What I wish was different

I wish I had been more prepared for the fundraising aspect of the internship.

Advice

Don't be discouraged by the fundraising requirement; prepare and start early.

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Writing intern

July - October 2020 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I liked getting to do my research and writing on my own schedule.

What I wish was different

I wish I had been able to start earlier so it didn’t overlap with school.

Advice

Stay on top of things and don’t get behind.

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marketing/PR intern

June - September 2017 • Cheyenne, WY

What I liked

I liked that there were a combination of tasks with a lot of guidance and a little guidance. Some tasks required me to be creative and come up with my own ideas and implementation strategies, where as other tasks were more straightforward. My manager was awesome, and I always felt like I could ask for help. They provided me with tons of resources and opportunities to perform my job as best possible.

What I wish was different

I wish I had interacted with other interns more. There were times where I wanted to get input from other interns working on similar projects but I couldn't because I was working remotely.

Advice

Allocate your time wisely and be honest with yourself about when and where you work best. If you know you don't like working on the weekends, don't save your until the weekend. Also, ask for help and get people involved. Some of my favorite parts were when I had my family and friends together helping me with my tasks.

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Marketing and PR Intern

June - August 2019 • Virginia Beach, VA

What I liked

I enjoyed being able to work remotely and also have time to have a full-time job. I also liked getting to advocate for the world’s poor and do important work.

What I wish was different

I wish it had been paid.

Advice

If you are able to work independently and stick to a schedule, I highly recommend this internship.

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NonProfit Leadership Intern

November 2019 - February 2020 • Pullman, WA

What I liked

I absolutely loved working with the team at The Borgen Project. They were so helpful and motivating and truly helped me achieve the goals that I had set at the beginning of the internship.

What I wish was different

Advice

Definitely worth a look if you are looking for a great team, flexible working hours, and an amazing opportunity to understand the inner workings of a nonprofit organization.

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Political Affairs Intern

June - August 2020 • Greer, SC

What I liked

I loved setting my own schedule and getting to work directly with the offices of my Congressional representatives! I gained experience in researching legislation, conducting lobbying meetings, fundraising, and community outreach. This is a great internship for those interested not only in politics but in making the world a better place!

What I wish was different

Balancing the weekly task list could be challenging at times and scheduling Congressional meetings was difficult, but it gives you an insight into how the field works! Also, getting others to get involved in contacting their representatives can be tough, but it pays off!

Advice

Don't let the fundraising portion of the internship intimidate you! I found that people are willing to donate and learn about these issues if you remain persistent. There are tons of creative ways to fundraise!

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Writer

May - July 2019 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I liked that I was able to write about global injustice and poverty to bring awareness to the world's issues.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have gotten paid some compensation for my work.

Advice

Take your time with your tasks so that you are able to prove yourself and your employer, company, etc., that you are worthy of the skills and job you hold.

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Human Resources Intern

May - July 2020 • Blackwood, NJ

What I liked

It was virtual.

What I wish was different

I feel like I didn’t learn that much. They used us more for fundraising.

Advice

I would go for any internship opportunity when you are a freshman to help you get a better internship.

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Writing Intern

May - August 2019 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I appreciated the amount of flexibility I had within my schedule. Working remotely allowed me to pursue other interests during the summer, while still doing meaningful work.

What I wish was different

I wish that there had been more communication within intern groups.

Advice

This internship is ideal if you want to get valuable internship experience if you also want to be able to balance a part-time job.

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Intern and Fundraiser with The Borgen Project

July - September 2019 • Atlanta, GA

What I liked

It was a good learning experience. I understood a lot about what the government did and how to influence your representatives

What I wish was different

I wish the amount of money that had to be raised would not have been so high. Instead of $500 maybe $250

Advice

If people offer to pledge money, try to get the money right then and there!! Don’t wait. People will back off

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Political Affairs Inteen

January - May 2017 • New Orleans, LA

What I liked

It was remote and I was able to take on a lot more responsibility because I was in charge of everything in my area.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been other interns with the same organization so we could communicate in person.

Advice

In remote internships it is important to take the lead and be dedicated, you won't gain anything from this type of internship if you're not.

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Digital Marketing Intern

May - August 2018 • Philadelphia, PA

What I liked

It was remote so you had a lot of freedom with your schedule and when you got your tasks done. You could be as creative as you wanted when creating content.

What I wish was different

You have to fundraise $500 for the organization (ideally). Can be stressful but as long as you make an effort it is okay.

Advice

Take advantage of the opportunity to learn about the US government and their policies. With it being remote, you can put as much effort in as you want. Make sure you are getting something out of it besides just some experience to add on your resume.

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Editor

May - August 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

No limits on articles you will be editing-- you are able to edit any article of interest, regardless of theme, author, etc.

What I wish was different

One aspect of this internship that was a bit difficult for me was the position being telecommuting, so I was able to complete each week's tasks in whatever location I pleased. While this can be convenient, especially for a college student, having a set workspace may have aided in my time management and overall weekly productivity.

Advice

Editing is a tedious process, that requires you to keep on reading and re-reading; that being said, getting up to speed (editing about two articles per hour) will take patience. Patience and attention to detail is key!

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Journalist Intern

June - August 2018 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

I was able to research topics that interested me.

What I wish was different

I wish I had gotten more feedback on my writing.

Advice

Consider this expierence if you are looking to develop a portfolio of your written work. You come out with 11 published articles.

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Political Affairs Intern

May - August 2018 • Phoenix, AZ

What I liked

I liked that I got to control my day to day activities. Everything I was doing had an impact and the chance to help end extreme global poverty. With that being said of course I had tasks that were given to me and I had to get them done but I got to use my own creativity and networking to get the job done. I felt very independent and confident in myself to do my work, I loved it.

What I wish was different

Part of me wishes that I got more experience with other people that are apart of the Borgen Project, there wasn't much networking that occurred because I was limited to the people I corresponded with.

Advice

If you want to change the world- then you should. This gives you experience talking to people you never would before and promoting an organization that fights for people that cannot. I think this experienced makes you more comfortable to be who you are in a professional setting.

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Journalism Intern

May - July 2018 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

Great experience, clear expectation, and good management. I learned a lot.

What I wish was different

I wish it had been in-person rather than remote becuase I like working with other people.

Advice

Go for it! I didn't think I would get this job, but I did and they ended up telling me I was one of the best interns they have ever had. Success is about hard work once you are there rather than the qualification with which you arrive.

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Political Affairs Intern

July - October 2019 • Bristol, RI

What I liked

I really enjoyed learning more about the legislation process. I also had the opportunity to meet with Senators and other Congressional leaders. The networking and professional experience were very valuable.

What I wish was different

I wish I had an on-site manager. The entire internship was remote. However, I did have the opportunity to video call my manager when needed.

Advice

I would advice planning out your weeks in advance. They will give you a week by week task list at the beginning of your internship. Read over all 12 weeks so you can properly manage your time.

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