Borgen Project

PR/Marketing Intern

May - August 2021 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I liked that I was able to obtain fundraising experience.

What I wish was different

I wish it was not remote because I would have gotten more out of it.

Advice

Be prepared to only work by yourself with little to no interaction with anyone else.

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Political Affairs Intern

July 2018 • Findlay, OH

What I liked

I like that I get to research current legislation and speak with our representatives.

What I wish was different

I work remotely. I wish I had people to bounce ideas off with.

Advice

Start fundraising early!

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Public Relations Intern

June - August 2018 • Denver, CO

What I liked

It was really fun it pushed me outside of my comfort zone in a good way. It is taught me more about how to advocate for what you believe in and how it’s important to make your voice heard.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have had more time with my supervisor.

Advice

It a great internship to take part in to advocate for the worlds poor and it challenges you to try new things you’ve never done before.

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Editorial Intern

June - August 2019 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

It was all telecommute, so I could work independently from home. I'd check in with my manager every so often over web call, but otherwise I worked by myself, which I preferred. It was only 12 hours a week, so not super time-intensive. That was nice, since it was an unpaid internship.

What I wish was different

Sometimes it was hard to get ahold of my manager if I had questions, and I'm sure that was influenced by how I never commuted to a physical work location and saw my manager face-to-face. They also place a huge emphasis on fundraising, so be prepared to spend more time on fundraising some weeks than you do on actual editing.

Advice

Recognize that for the most part, you're on your own. Don't be afraid to make mistakes: your managers will correct you if need be. Just be open to feedback and pay attention to Borgen's guidelines.

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Politcal Affairs Intern

June - September 2018 • Homer, AK

What I liked

I enjoyed the balance between scheduled workloads weekly and the ability to choose my hours and methods of completing assignments.

What I wish was different

Would have enjoyed some additional training or resources for some of the more nuanced assignments such as creating youtube videos or tips for a successful city-wide awareness campaign.

Advice

It was important to me to work in a field that I was supportive of. Working to provide aid to the global poor was a goal that made me happy and proud to do my work each and every day.

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PR/Marketing Intern

May - August 2018 • Springfield, MO

What I liked

I liked the flexibility of the weekly tasks. While there were still guidelines and due dates, you could put your own twist or style into each task. It made the experience more personal and fun.

What I wish was different

Advice

This internship is amazing for improving your networking and fundraising skills. You learn that the worst thing that can possibly happen is that someone says, "No." And that really isn't all that bad.

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Political Affairs Intern

August - October 2020 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

Virtual, remote work was very flexible as to when I was working.

What I wish was different

I wish the managers would give a little more structure and feedback.

Advice

Be proactive and self-identify goals and tasks to complete.

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Political Affairs Intern

July - September 2020 • Washington, DC

What I liked

- Being able to meet congressional offices with fellow Borgen members and having meaningful conversations

What I wish was different

- Better communication and interactions with the rest of the team

Advice

- Don't be afraid to ask questions and don't be afraid to get yourself out there

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Human Resources Intern

June - September 2020 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

I liked th freedom and creativity I had to start campaigns in order to raise awareness for impoverished nations around the world and to get others informed about the issues these countries are facing.

What I wish was different

I wish that the company had more one on one experience with me as most of the work I did was on my own.

Advice

to make sure to meet all your deadlines on time and to understand that you are doing a great job by helping those without a voice

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Political Affairs Intern

July - September 2019 • Newark, DE

What I liked

It was a laid back position that allowed me to create my own schedule. I was even able to work from home a lot of the time. I gained quite a bit of experiencing with lobbying and fundraising for a nonprofit organization, which relates directly with the career I wish to pursue.

What I wish was different

At times, I wish I could have worked with a team of advocates in person. I think that doing so could have allowed me to hone my skills and learn at a quicker pace.

Advice

When working on your own try to create a schedule at the start of each week, with space in between your hours for breaks. With this scheduling create a set of goals for each week and log your hours as you work. Aim to reach out to others in the same program in order to share ideas. Use their experiences to shape your own understanding of what it takes to create change, and provide them with your own experiences. Even if the job is independent, help from others makes all the difference in your success.

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Brand Ambassador

May - August 2020 • Youngstown, OH

What I liked

Making own hours connecting with representatives easily completed with other activities

What I wish was different

Advice

You get out of it what you put into it. Be creative and active.

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Nonprofit Leadership Intern

August - October 2020 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

As a nonprofit leadership intern, I gained a plethora of skills that will continue to help me in the future as I step foot into the professional world after college. It was an extremely organized program with lots of team leaders who were there to help along the way. I was truly amazed by the great impact one nonprofit can make in the world!

What I wish was different

Advice

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Writer Intern

January - March 2021 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

The managers were especially great in regards to communication and flexibility. They were incredibly resourceful and were always willing to assist with any questions I brought up throughout my internship. I can tell that every person involved with The Borgen Project is genuinely passionate about the organization's efforts, and it was inspiring to see how a relatively small organization can make such a significant impact on the world. As for the writing portion of the position, it was incredibly motivating to know my pieces would be published and read. In addition, the experience has demonstrably strengthened my writing abilities in channeling my voice of advocacy.

What I wish was different

Advice

What you get out of this internship will be determined by what you put into it. It's a short internship, so make the most of it!

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Writer Intern

June - August 2020 • Philadelphia, PA

What I liked

Duties and schedules were laid out very clearly, gained a lot of political and writing experience, managers were very helpful and communicative.

What I wish was different

The adjustment period in the first few weeks was very intense and went a little too fast.

Advice

Branch out! I didn't think I would get it but apply anyways and get good work experience.

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Political Affairs Intern

July - September 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

The Versatility of the position

What I wish was different

An actual office I could work at it would be easier to meet the other interns

Advice

Meeting new people is not scary and that its a good way to come out of your comfort zone

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HR Intern

September - November 2020 • Tacoma, WA

What I liked

Remote, clear schedule, check box format, check ins with your supervisors

What I wish was different

I wish this internship was more HR focused. Instead of 80% HR work and 20% advocacy as advertised, it felt like 50/50. I wish I had more HR-specific skills to put in my resume besides RecruiterBox, which I've noticed isn't very popular with other employers. We didn't even get to do real interviews; we just listened to recorded ones.

Advice

I would recommend doing the Nonprofit Leadership or Political internships, as I think you'd be doing more relevant work in those positions. Be prepared to raise money without getting much in return (the recommendation they'll give you is p much it) and to be required to post all about The Borgen Project on your Twitter and Instagram (it's required).

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Political Affairs Intern

November 2020 • Rockland, MA

What I liked

The opportunities to write congress and advocate for the worlds poor.

What I wish was different

I wish the internship was longer and more interactive.

Advice

Be prepared to handwrite letters to congress, lobby and jump out of your comfort zone to grow.

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Writer Intern

June - October 2020 • Seattle, WA

What I liked

The mission of the Borgen Project is to educate and advocate for the world's poor, which is something that I deeply care about. I loved the opportunity to write about issues happening around the world.

What I wish was different

The internship is entirely remote, so in that regards, it can feel a lot one sided. If you enjoy working on your own, then this would be great for you. But if you are like me and love working with a team, it can feel very isolated indeed.

Advice

Organize your time well and be ready to fundraise and spread the word about The Borgen Project.

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Political Affairs Intern

September - November 2020 • Waltham, MA

What I liked

The ability to be trusted to handle my work individually but was updated about my efforts weekly.

What I wish was different

More interactive elements it the team as a whole.

Advice

Make sure you look at the weekly things you need to do that week on Sunday night or Monday morning as some take much more time than others and will take the full week. This helps you from getting over taken by school or and internship work.

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Political Affairs Intern

March - May 2020 • Denver, CO

What I liked

I liked that I received all of my weekly tasks ahead of time, I liked that there were training meetings, I liked that I had the opportunity to learn about poverty-reducing legislation and that I was able to do the work on my own schedule.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more collaborative opportunities to work with other people like interns or regional directors.

Advice

I would suggest being creative with fundraising efforts, be organized, and manage time effectively to make sure you meet weekly tasks and don't be afraid to reach out for help if you need assistance or need more time to complete tasks.

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