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July 6, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many unforeseen and unprecedented changes. Personally, the past few months have been defined by an overwhelming sense of uncertainty, from the transition to online learning to moving back home to not knowing when I would see my closest friends next. Among those concerns, a looming question for me this spring was: will I have an internship this summer?
Applying to internships is inherently a stressful process. Internships are vital opportunities to gain professional experience before applying to jobs; serve as networking opportunities; can provide a source of income; and, in some cases, are needed for course credit in order to graduate. During the COVID-19 crisis, that stress has been compounded. As state after state began closing businesses and invoking stay-at-home orders, more and more emails trickled into my inbox, informing me that the position I had applied to had been cancelled. After sending out close to 20 internship applications with few responses, I had begun to lose hope. Receiving the word that I had been selected as the summer development intern for EESI lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. And I'm especially glad that EESI only offers paid internships!
When agreeing to a remote internship position, I knew that I would inevitably miss out on a few experiences and opportunities. Going into my first day, I had concerns of “Zoom fatigue”, limited interaction with coworkers, more difficulty making social connections, and the potential workload, or lack thereof, swirling around my brain. However, it quickly became clear to me that the EESI staff have taken the time to adapt their internship program for the current pandemic situation and those concerns were washed away.
After two weeks working remotely with EESI, I already have a strong feeling that I will look back at this experience fondly. I have felt more than welcomed and like an integral part of their community. With weekly staff meetings and daily check-ins with my supervisors, as well as with the rest of my intern cohort, I have had ample opportunity to interact with my coworkers and get to know them on a personal as well as a professional level. Despite our only-online interactions, I feel as if I have formed strong connections with the other interns and staff. More importantly, I’ve been given the opportunity to meet important people in the realm of environmental and energy policy, attend online briefings, learn how to use a CRM (customer relations management) system, and write reports for donors, just to name a few.
Considering the conversations I’ve had with my peers at the University of Chicago who have yet to find jobs or have had their start dates postponed, I feel incredibly lucky that EESI accepted my application and very grateful that they decided to maintain their paid internship program for the summer—and the fall whether in-person or online.
While switching to remote internships required taking on a few extra challenges, by offering these programs, EESI is providing an important opportunity and lifeline for current students and recent graduates. It teaches the importance of adaptability and resilience in a world that has changed drastically since the beginning of the year—and it is a world that will continue to face more changes in the future.
Having this remote internship has taught me a number of valuable skills beyond those directly related to being a successful intern for EESI. It has taught me that, upon facing challenges such as this in the future, I should not be hesitant or nervous when tackling them head on; I’ll know from previous experience that I am more than capable of developing methods to thrive in those situations.
Author: Grace Linhares
Top-Rated Climate Nonprofit – 4-Star Charity