Name:Ciara Christian
Internship, Co-op or Research Site:SNLP- Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance
Position Title:Sondheim Nonprofit Leadership Fellow
Major(s)/Minor(s):Applied Sociology w/ P.C.B. in Nonprofits
Work Term:Summer 2017
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
Last summer I interned at Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA). At BNIA, I was primarily responsible for organizing Baltimore Data Day -- an annual workshop that brings together over 300 community leaders, community groups, nonprofits, gov't entities, and socially minded technologists to build capacity. Members of the community will learn how to access and utilize available public data about their neighborhoods to advocate for change. My tasks included preparing promotional materials; preparing panel participants; talking with and recruiting community organizations to attend the event; managing the logistics of the event; as well as curating one of the sessions and recruiting participants --particularly a panel on data related to issues of social justice and racial equity in Baltimore. I was also responsible for creating the final report after the event to be shared with sponsors.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I heard about the Public Service Scholars Program through other work I was doing in the Shriver Center as a Peaceworker Fellow. I was particularly interested in the Sondheim Nonprofit Leadership Program, as I was earning my Pcb in Nonprofits.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
Being able to utilize the skills I've developed in the classroom as a graduate student, and at my service placement as a Peaceworker Fellow. Additionally, one of the greatest experiences in my internship was the freedom granted me. My mentor had faith in my work ethic and skill level, giving me lots of independence and agency. Baltimore Data Day is an annual event, and my mentor, Dr. Seema Iyer, gave me so much creative freedom in helping theme the event as well as theme and curate one of the panels. I was also allowed to create a lunch session (which had not be scheduled in previous years). This, among other things, helped me to feel like a truly valued member of the BNIA staff.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I'm making an impact in my office by lessening the load of my colleagues and helping keep the event organized. Additionally, I believe I'm making an impact on Baltimore residents by helping ensure that they are aware of Data Day and the benefits they might reap as a result of participating. Furthermore, as a result of my participation, we were able to register 300 participants for the event, with nearly 100 more on the waitlist, a significant increase from the previous year. Additionally, the event survey data suggests that participants were well pleased with the panel I curated, which was very well attended.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Believe in yourself! Too often we allow fear and/or intimidation to prevent us from trying new things, exploring new opportunities, and ultimately having growth inducing experiences. This is true at every level. Though most of my peers in the program were undergraduates, I am a graduate student and I nearly let imposter syndrome prevent me from having an amazing experience. I would also tell students to be willing to try something that’s outside of their comfort zone. As a qualitative researcher, I was worried about interning for a quantitative data gathering Nonprofit. What I learned, however, is that both methods help tell richer stories. As a result of working for BNIA I am (somewhat) less intimidated by quantitative data, and at the same time, they saw value in my ability to see the qualitative story behind data points. Do the unexpected! Lastly, I would encourage students to lean into the relationships with those they work with at internships and similar experiences. I established great relationships with people at my internship that have continued to support me nearly a year after I began working with them.
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