A Dream Come True: Internship Leads to More Than an Enhanced Resume
“Living in the biggest, most diverse, and most thrilling city in America was a dream come true,” said communication studies junior, Danielle Berton. Berton spent summer 2014 working as an intern for the Clinton Foundation in New York City. For three months, she was able to learn and grow as a communication studies major, while experiencing the vastness of New York City and the effects of a foundation as powerful as the Clinton Foundation.
Berton worked in the Membership Department of the Foundation’s largest initiative, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). “The initiative brings together Fortune 500 CEOs, government heads, public figures, and nonprofits to implement change to the world’s most pressing issues,” said Berton. “Together these commitments have raised more than $103 billion to improve areas such as global health, education and the environment.”
The priority of the membership department is to recruit world leaders to form partnerships and design commitments. Working with account executives, Berton found that “effective persuasion, interpersonal relations, and strong argumentative reasoning were just some of the tools from communication studies that were not only useful, but necessary for recruiting the best members.”
After some time with the foundation, Berton was asked to recruit a member who she thought would be a good fit for CGI. “After thorough research, I came across an inspiring founder of a New York City AIDS organization,” she said.
With complete freedom in the initial outreach and recruitment, Berton convinced the founder to attend a meeting with her supervisor. Although the CGI $20,000 membership fee prevented the organization from joining, the meeting was not a loss. The founder, Berton noted, “left the meeting eager to acquire the funds and excited about the work of the foundation.”
Her time with the Clinton Foundation gave Berton an invaluable experience that she will bring with her throughout her career endeavors. “The real reward was working for my idol, President Bill Clinton, to help accomplish a mission I am passionate about,” she said. “Witnessing my communication skills influence someone directly was an extremely fulfilling experience. I hope to utilize the knowledge I have acquired in my major and apply it to a career in public affairs or nonprofit development, where I can motivate people to take action for causes surrounding social justice.”
The Communication Studies Department offers credit to students for internships and cooperative education experiences like these. Not only do these opportunities embody the Learn by Doing philosophy, they allow students to directly apply the skills they’ve learned in the classroom and to experience a career field of their interest, leading them in the direction in which they will excel the most.