Making an Impact

When applying and searching for an internship, I knew I wanted to end up in an environment where I would be able to make an impact on the community and contribute in ways that would help the organization. During the weeks since my last post, I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to take on some responsibility and demonstrate my competency in these roles. The month of June is extremely busy at New York Road Runners, as there are several significant races and events which take place. I was excited to hear that I would be given some responsibilities during these busy weeks. 

My first task was to compose our monthly newsletter, which is to be sent out to our coaches and members in order to update them on past and upcoming events. My work seemed to meet the expectations of the editing team and it was eventually sent out to the recipients. Although it may seem like a small task, it was my first true contribution to the organization and it was rewarding to know that my efforts were appreciated. A few days later, I was asked to substitute for two coaches who were on vacation. My job was to lead walking sessions at two different senior centers in Brooklyn. Upon being asked to do this, I felt as if it showed a sense of trust from my supervisors. The coaches represent the organization throughout the community and my supervisor felt as if I was prepared and fit to do that. It was an extremely rewarding experience. Not only did I contribute to the mission of the organization, I also felt as if I made an impact on the community by getting senior citizens active.

In addition to the newsletter and substitute coaching, I helped to plan and organize two walking events in coordination with major NYRR races. I helped by contacting the participating members and posting online to recruit seniors to join. Along with my supervisors, I attended the events and helped to make sure everything went smoothly. It was gratifying to see the events become a success after the time we spent planning them. I am happy that I have been able to contribute to the organization in more ways than I expected and it has been an awesome internship experience thus far.