I have enjoyed my internship experience with Connect-123 immensely. I was paired with an organization that was really a great fit. The virtual aspect of my internship was unexpected as I had made plans to spend two months in Cape Town, South Africa. The pandemic changed those plans rather abruptly. However, everyone at Connect-123 was very helpful, and worked with me to coordinate a virtual internship. I feel that I would not have been able to pivot from an in person traditional internship experience to a virtual one without the responsiveness of the Connect-123 team.

The host organization I have been paired with has challenged me to use all of my talents and develop a few more. Every day during my assignment I am amazed at the breadth and scope of skills I use to complete tasks for the organization. It has been a great experience and I feel like I am a part of the host organization’s team. We meet almost daily and there are general staff meetings that I participate in from the United States.

It’s equally beneficial to be a part of the Connect-123 intern group. The organization provided virtual tours of Cape Town and Barcelona that were memorable. I have visited both countries before and I learned something new. The opportunity to listen to the achievements and talents of other Connect-123 participants has been invaluable and motivating. This has been an experience I will not soon forget. I will always have something positive and very interesting to share about my days during this life altering pandemic and I am very grateful.