Why GOTR?

Hello! I am so excited to be sharing my summer internship experience with the Carolina MPA family. As of this past Monday, I am the Program Intern for Girls on the Run of the Triangle. Girls on the Run inspires girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. As I am passionate about leadership development and empowerment for girls and young women (and I recently completed my first half marathon!), GOTR is the perfect fit for my interests. I couldn’t think of a better place to complete my Professional Work Experience!

This summer, my primary project will be to develop an implementation model to support a focus on access and inclusion. To do so, I’ll be doing lots of research, evaluation, and writing. Additionally, I will assist in program preparation, volunteer coordination, and alumnae engagement. You’ll also hear about my other summer experiences – informational interviews, shadowing, events and engagement opportunities, and professional development. I am looking forward to sharing it all with you!

Since GOTR is so values-focused in its day-to-day operations, each week I’ll be highlighting one of Girls on the Run’s core values in the context of my internship:

1. Recognize the power and responsibility to be intentional in our decision making.
2. Embrace our differences and find strength in our connectedness.
3. Express joy, optimism, and gratitude through our words, thoughts, and actions.
4. Lead with an open heart and assume positive intent.
5. Nurture our physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
6. Stand up for ourselves and others.

This week, its easy for me to express joy, optimism, and gratitude. I’m so thankful to have been given this opportunity to learn and grow, and I am incredibly excited to see where this summer takes me! Thanks for coming along on this journey.

Before I sign off for this week, I do want to make a quick plug for networking – it helped me land this job! Thanks to Professor Margaret Henderson, I had the opportunity to hear GOTR Triangle’s Executive Director Juliellen Simpson-Vos speak during a Nonprofit Management class session. Juliellen and I connected because of my past volunteer experience with GOTR and stayed in touch about various projects and volunteer experiences. When an internship opportunity became available, it was logical for me to be considered for the position. I suppose you never truly know how far a single connection will take you in your professional life! Speaking of connections, I always love expanding my network – so feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The opinions expressed here are solely my opinions. Content published here is not read or approved by Girls on the Run® International and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Girls on the Run® International.