Where was your internship placement? (What is the purpose of the organization?)
I was placed at The Nikau Foundation, a community foundation located in the heart of Wellington, New Zealand’s capital.
The Nikau Foundation is a community trust whose primary aim is to provide a simple, effective and long-lasting way for people in the Greater Wellington region to give to local causes now and in the future.
What did your general duties involve?
My contribution above many other roles was to assist their communication director. Through this I was able to work on a variety of tasks including building their most recent campaign that they haven’t released to the public yet. (Ex: Corporate Meetings, Corporate Communication, Marketing Tactics, Storytelling). I was able to grasp a better look as to what fundraising does. The Nikau Foundation is an organization that facilitates in making dreams come true across all of the Greater Wellington Region.
Has your internship influenced your career path?
Especially in Communication, an internship adds real life experience after graduation. Life after the classroom is filled with careers we have been working towards our whole lives. This internship, and most others are the first step in that direction.
What was your most memorable experience?
My most memorable experience abroad was traveling with twenty-six strangers from all over the world. We were able to backpack up and down the islands to better understand the culture of our home for the next 8 weeks! This internship program has built my confidence and provided me with invaluable skills and knowledge about the nonprofit sector and working in a professional environment. Every single person involved in my experience created a part of my story from New Zealand that would have otherwise not been written the same.