Everyone at the company was very welcoming and willing to talk to you about their experience and career advice. My supervisors were wonderful and they trusted me with a lot of responsibilities.
What I wish was different
It was a remote internship so I wish I could have had the real office feel, that way I could have lived in D.C. and gotten to know my other interns better.
Advice
I found this job on their website while doing research for a project. I would say to always look into cool organzations you find and look at their contact/career section of their websites!
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Dance Artist
June - July 2020 • Cleveland, OH
What I liked
I enjoyed working alongside fellow Cleveland State University students and alumni. Freedom School staff were always energetic and helped to facilitate a fun learning experience for the students (and for me)! I was so impressed with how quickly the students learned different pattern and their willingness to dance their hearts out.
What I wish was different
Due to the pandemic, we made the classes virtual. It would have been awesome to have met in person, but I think the transition to virtual classes was handled well.
Advice
If you're teaching virtually, be ready for anything! Even though I was co-teaching with two other dancers, there were days when one or two of us couldn't access Zoom due to weather and internet connection, difficulties with using a device, or had trouble using certain Zoom features. Be prepared with more class activities than you may need and be sure to test your equipment and keep laptops and headphones fully charged.
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Servant Leader Intern
May - July 2020 • Charlottesville, VA
What I liked
I liked the hands-on experience of working with elementary schoolers to teach anti-racism and literacy! There was excellent communication from everyone involved in the Freedom School!
What I wish was different
There were some technological difficulties, due to having to switch to a virtual platform, but they were to be expected.
Advice
1
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Communications Intern
June 2020 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Everything! I was able to work with the most amazing team that has continued to offer me so much support.
What I wish was different
Advice
Never be afraid to put yourself at the table where decisions are being made. At the beginning of the summer, I was terrified to speak up and share my ideas. However, how looking back at it, if I continued to keep my ideas to myself, I know I wouldn't have gotten the experiences I have had to this day.
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Servant Leader Intern
June - August 2019 • Tarboro, NC
What I liked
Everything!!! This is the greatest job in the entire world.
What I wish was different
Not a thing.
Advice
Keep a level head!
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Servant Leader Intern
June - July 2019 • Macon, GA
What I liked
Working with kids in impoverished communities and actually seeing a difference on their faces when they came in to Freedom School.
What I wish was different
The training process. It is difficult to reach for many people, a little bit unorganized, and the food was awful.
Advice
Absolutely try to do this if you have the patience to deal with children. You can even start your own freedom school.
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Educational Program and Policy Intern with the Beat the Odds and Freedom School Teams
June - July 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
During my time at CDF, I enjoyed the different type of projects I participated in. I created a financial literacy workshop for BTO’s Create Ready for College Program. I created a Financial Aid FAQ, Financial Aid Vocabulary worksheet, a budget worksheet, a College Visit Vocabulary worksheet and participated in a panel. One of my favorite projects was creating a new CDF intern recruitment list to build diversity and inclusion in the office. Lastly, I visited 2 freedom school sites as well as attended a school trip to the museum.
What I wish was different
I would not change anything. However, in addition to my amazing projects, I wished I learned how to write a policy memo. I think learning how to write policy memos is a great skill to have. Especially for people, like myself, who have a lot of suggestions and solutions to issues.
Advice
Be open to all projects and attend all workshops, panels, and meetings. The more you learn about how children, policy, and time connect, you will be a better advocate, educator and policy maker.
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Education Programs and Policy Intern
June - July 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I loved the community in the office. People truthfully cared about each other (for example, our supervisors) and it was nice to see.
What I wish was different
Advice
1
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Education intern
June - August 2018 • Fort Worth, TX
What I liked
Impacting children
What I wish was different
Advice
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Policy Intern
January - April 2017 • Columbus, OH
What I liked
My supervisor, Mr.Ashon McKenzie, was extremely helpful and insightful in his field and helped me make connections within the field. I was able to undergo research specific to my interests and had a very flexible schedule.
What I wish was different
I wish I had started sooner, they give out scholarships and the process of choosing the recipients is very rewarding, but I came a month too late.
Advice
Do outside research, try to incorporate your passions into the work, and talk to everyone in the office.
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Servant Leader Intern
June - July 2018 • Cleveland, OH
What I liked
Working with kids
What I wish was different
Interact with the kids more on their level and make the class more to their liking.
