SPAA Internship Spotlight: Rapheleita Spence – Beauty for Ashes

Name: Rapheleita Spence
Degree Program: Bachelor of Arts 
Major: Public and Nonprofit Administration 
Graduation Month/Year: May 2022
Name of Organization: Beauty for Ashes
Location of Internship: Essex County, NJ
Title: Consultant
Dates of Internship: January to June 2022
Responsibilities: I led social media marketing incentives, set up tabling at events, suggested and executed different events, co-led counseling sessions at recovery homes, and worked with board members and others in understanding their roles and responsibilities.

How did the Service-Learning Internship Course help you navigate your internship responsibilities?
The course assisted me with analyzing how I could improve and what areas I could focus on improving. It also helped me understand what interning really looks like in order to apply these skills in the work force.

What kind of skills did you learn during this internship?
I learned how to effectively communicate, how to adjust to being uncomfortable in leadership roles, how to be more confident in my skill sets and attributions, and how to help start in new roles and create more team-like environments.

How was the mentoring part of the internship helpful in navigating your career goals?
The mentoring aspect of my internship was definitely an eye-opener. There were many occasions on which I needed to have deeper conversations to truly get an understanding of something. Even just being able to observe my mentor, and see how she operated and dominated leading her organization, allowed me to learn more than I thought I would.