Week 10 | Reflecting

As I am now at the end of my virtual internship, I wanted to reflect a bit on these past weeks. It took some time for me to fully adjust to the experience, between the time difference and having to be flexible due to scheduling changes, but I quickly was able to feel comfortable working more independently outside of asking for feedback. Not only did my work increase the business’ social media engagement (page views, likes, and post interactions) but it also scaffolded content for the future. In other words, I have created a content strategy which can be implemented beyond my time as an intern. It was a great experience working with my supervisor. Although she became very busy towards the end of my internship, she was always very considerate and thankful for both my ideas and work. It was very reassuring throughout this process to have such great support. My professor, with whom I met on a weekly basis, was also very helpful and reassuring as she ensured I was doing okay with all of my responsibilities outside of the internship.

A year ago, I did not imagine myself completing a virtual internship, in fact I was quite excited to physically study abroad. Given the fact that it was not possible to be abroad, this virtual opportunity was a great one. Not only did I get to practice my French, but I was also able to learn more about the culture and have a better understanding of daily life in France. I definitely feel as though I am better prepared to someday go abroad and interact with a new culture/ language, having undergone this experience.

To the donors reading these blog posts, thank you for your contribution. Because of you, I was able to participate in such an impactful learning experience that has also been a great mode of professional development. In fact, one of the post-grad jobs I interviewed for is related to social media management and content creation. The skills I developed during this internship truly helped secure the interview and possibly the job itself. So, thank you donors, Funds for Education Abroad, and the Gilman scholarship for making this opportunity possible for me.

To future scholars, I truly hope you take advantage of the great resources out there such as scholarships from FEA and Gilman, which are created for individuals who would not normally be able to participate in programs like this. Despite your concerns or self-doubts, just know that there is plenty of infrastructure designed specifically to help you not only succeed but thrive.