Internship Spotlight: Temitope Ogundare – Sadie Nash Leadership Project
Name: Temitope Ogundare
Graduation Date: August 2024
Name of Organization: Sadie Nash Leadership Project
Location: Newark, NJ and New York City
Summary of Responsibilities:
My responsibilities included developing outreach materials and co-leading events by partnering with community organizations, creating workshop agendas for the semester, and planning and leading internal program and field activities for students to promote wellness, community service, and education. Additionally, I had budgeting and finance work for event planning, end of program gifts, and stipend allocation.
Favorite Aspect of Internship:
My favorite part of the internship was seeing the direct impact that participation in the program can have. As a program that both pushes the boundaries of critical thinking and teaches personal practicalities (think self-care, setting boundaries, sexual health), I think we exist so uniquely within the high school experience and it is then so transformative. I’ve seen students come in from so many different backgrounds and of so many personality types come in and go through a really positive shift. Even if they start shy but don’t become the most outspoken, they feel comfortable enough to be more willing to engage and share opinions, etc. which will always be fun to see.
Career Goals:
My career goal is to continue to work within nonprofits dedicated to education for racial and gendered minorities but within an administrative role that allows me to influence organizational structure as well as the classroom.
How did the service-learning course help you navigate your internship responsibilities?
The service-learning course was great because not only did it force me to look at my internship from a different perspective but through the discussion boards I was able to pick up tips and tricks from classmates on navigating situations that I was in or might have potentially faced.
What kind of skills did you learn during this internship?
Through my internship, I developed a diverse set of skills that have been instrumental in various aspects of program management. From creating outreach materials to co-leading events with community organizations, I gained hands-on experience in effective communication and community engagement. Crafting workshop agendas enabled me to hone my project management skills while fostering an environment conducive to learning. Planning and leading internal activities for students underscored my leadership abilities and commitment to promoting wellness, community service, and education. Moreover, handling budgeting and finance tasks for event planning and stipend allocation equipped me with practical knowledge in financial management.
Has your mentoring part of the internship been helpful in navigating your career goals?
The mentoring part was extremely helpful because I had so many people with me in the space who had great, outgoing personalities who were willing to help where they could. Even when situations were tough, my mentors were wonderful in their solutions and patience with me and others to navigate these instances. I greatly enjoyed my time and in our weekly (almost daily) conversations, I learned more about who I am as a person and thus bettered my relationship with the space (both in terms of non-profit work generally and Sadie Nash).