How My Internship at the Public Affairs Department
of the American Red Cross in Greater New York
Changed My Life

By Red Cross Public Affairs Volunteer Nicole Catherine Heller

As a student at the City University of New York, my curriculum required that I do an internship in my field of study, which is Business Management with specialization in Marketing. I chose to intern at the Public Affairs Department of the American Red Cross.

When I started my internship last June, I didn’t know what to expect. My previous work experience was in an insurance company, a software company, and a hotel.  Never had I worked in a marketing-related position or a nonprofit organization before.

My Red Cross experience surpassed all of my expectations in many ways. All of the staff members were very welcoming, supportive, and professional, with a touch of humor. I was fascinated by the responsibilities of the Public Affairs team and I realized very soon that I had found my path. I knew from then on that all of my educational and professional efforts would be geared towards working in Public Affairs and Communications.

The Public Affairs staff familiarized me with the daily activities, including distributing press releases, recording TV segments mentioning the Red Cross, and archiving press clippings. It was also very exciting to see how interviews with different media are held. Most of all, I was amazed to see how a nonprofit organization functions. The fact that the Red Cross has many volunteers makes it a very friendly work environment. Employees as well as volunteers are all very helpful and motivated.

My internship helped me to sculpt my future. I am very grateful that I have finally found what I have been looking for. Currently, I am majoring in Marketing Communications at Baruch College and look forward to serving as an active Red Cross volunteer.

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