Audrey Daley is a Junior at NIU with a major in Community Leadership and Civic Engagement (CLCE).

This semester, Audrey participated in the Internship Program and was paired with Fox Valley Older Adult Services. The following is what Audrey has to say about her internship experience:

Q: What projects are you working on as an intern?

Audrey: Some of the projects that I am working on as an intern include starting up a recycling project for the center, organizing spreadsheets and information, researching foundations and grants, and assisting with their Annual Gala that takes place every spring.

Q: What is the best part of your internship?

Audrey: The best part of my internship is the variety of projects and tasks that I am assigned. With both of the internships that I have taken part in, I was concerned that I would only be working on one project for the duration of the internship. However, at FVOAS I am assigned projects such as: working on the newsletter, donor and grant research, and grant writing. Grant writing is especially interesting for me since I am interested in becoming a grant writer after I graduate from NIU.

Q: In your opinion, why should students pursue internship opportunities?

Audrey: Students should pursue internship opportunities because it’s a type of stepping stone into the workforce. Internships give you the experience and background needed to become successful in whatever job you are looking for when you graduate, and they are great at building connections. Internships are also beneficial when applying for jobs because if an employer sees that you have had an internship, they’ll take that as prior experience and you will be more likely to get that job.