SPAA Internship Spotlight: Dante Ralph – WHYVIVE LLC

Name: Dante Ralph
Degree Program: Bachelor of Arts 
Major: Public and Nonprofit Administration
Graduation Month/Year: May 2022
Name of Organization: WHYVIVE LLC
Location of Internship: Asbury Park/Edison, NJ
Title: Executive Administrative Assistant (in training)
Dates of Internship: January to May 2022
Responsibilities: I was in charge of helping customers with questions about our programs and offerings. I acted as a first point of contact for customers, coaches, and staff exclusively through our VIVE administered emails. I supported all of the VIVE launches by sending out reminder messages and emails to clients attending events. I helped manage the VIVE Lounge group chat, which is where our members communicate with one another and learn more about VIVE offerings and staff through our classes. 

How did the Service-Learning Internship Course help you navigate your internship responsibilities?
The course truly helped me see how much I was getting out of an entirely virtual internship experience. When completing journals, I understood the amount of skills learned and used throughout the entire semester. 

What kind of skills did you learn during this internship?
I became quick-witted, being able to think of solutions on the fly for my internship on multiple occasions for projects we were completing. I picked up communication and listening skills that allowed me to get a better understanding of the work I was completing. 

How was the mentoring part of the internship helpful in navigating your career goals?
The mentoring was extremely helpful. The people mentoring me were seriously invested in my best interests for the future.

Anything else you wish to add?
An internship was something that I put off for a while, literally until the end of the program, but I wish I had done it sooner to get a feel for which direction I wanted my career to go in earlier.