learning to contribute – the value of a wild hair
Some of the most meaningful things I’ve done in my life happened on a whim. Or, as I’ve otherwise heard it put, I got a wild hair [REDACTED] to try something different. This particular hair was an Instagram post about an internship opportunity with the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation. I decided to go for it. As one does when that spark hits, I dusted off my resume, wrote a cover letter, and sent them off that night. The turnaround was quick, and before I knew it I was starting a new adventure.
As a regular trail user, I was already familiar with the ERT Foundation and knew that the work they do for the communities and environment along the trail aligned with my values. Contributing to outdoor spaces that bring people together and help make such a transient city feel more rooted and connected felt like a meaningful way for me to invest in the place I call home. I went into the role with an open mind about what I might actually bring to the Foundation as a communications and storytelling intern, and was excited to explore my interests and give some of myself to a mission that I care about.
I had never worked in social media marketing in an official capacity before, and I wasn’t sure what to expect from this position. I quickly learned how porous the boundaries between roles at a growing nonprofit can be, and how varied the day-to-day work often is. I found myself moving between creative tasks, technical problems, research, website organization, and figuring out how things work.
As I moved between different projects, I noticed that I was most drawn to the ones where I was either creating something or trying to solve a problem. The most personally satisfying project I worked on was iterating on the Foundation’s ten-year anniversary logo; I really appreciated the sense of exploration that came with working through different ideas. I enjoyed making something tangible and getting feedback from others about what worked and what didn’t. While the logo is still being finalized as of this writing, I feel proud of this one even though the scope was fairly small. I found myself completely absorbed in it for an hour or so that afternoon.
I also found satisfaction in projects that challenged me to figure out more technical solutions. One of the Foundation’s goals this summer was to launch a bike rental program, and I was tasked with researching and helping to set up and test different Shopify apps. I immediately dove in with user flowcharts and lists of program needs to help guide the selection process. I again found myself happily lost in my work, researching apps, thinking through the rental process, and exploring solutions that would be viable for both the Foundation and the people it serves.
This same problem-solving instinct carried over into my website work, which included both WordPress and Shopify. I especially enjoyed thinking about how information is organized and how someone might move from an ERT social media post to finding what they need on the website. Thinking through this journey led me to set up a card sorting exercise and a survey to better understand where visitors expect to find information. The results will give the Foundation useful insight as it considers future website updates, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how they’re implemented. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for changes as long as I’m part of this community.
Not all of my communications work was so behind-the-scenes. For a week I focused specifically on storytelling, giving me the opportunity to think more directly about how the Foundation communicates its mission and personality. This work was both challenging and rewarding. Finding the right voice for an organization is so different from finding your own, and I learned that creating something that feels both compelling and authentically on-brand takes more time and thought than I initially expected. It also made me realize that I’m a stronger writer than I had previously given myself credit for, and showed me that writing in an established brand voice is a skill I still want to develop.
Just as valuable as the work itself was the experience of being part of such a strong team. This was the first position I’ve held where I really felt like I was part of something special, and that had so much to do with the people I worked with. Everyone here brings different skills and perspectives to the table, and I appreciated how willing each person was to share their knowledge, collaborate, and make space for questions. I was especially lucky to have Kaycee as my mentor. She is supportive, knowledgeable, full of good energy, and I always felt comfortable bringing her a question, talking through an idea, or admitting when I didn’t know how to do something. Knowing I had that kind of guidance gave me the freedom to experiment and figure things out rather than feeling like I needed to already know all the answers. As I move into the next stage of my career, I’ll take with me a new appreciation for being part of a team where I can both learn and contribute.
The logo, the bike rental app, and the website were very different projects, but working on them helped me recognize a common thread in the kind of work I enjoy: solving problems and exploring possibilities until I can make something work. I didn’t necessarily expect that to be where a communications and storytelling internship would lead me, but that’s part of what made this on-a-whim experience so valuable: I came in with a job description and an open mind and left with a broader understanding of where my skills and interests intersect.
I don’t think I could have predicted what I’d get out of this experience when I sent that application off in May. That’s probably part of what made it so worthwhile. I said yes before I knew exactly what I was saying yes to, and I’m glad I gave myself the opportunity to find out.
One random night, I saw an Instagram post and got a wild hair to try something different. I’m glad I did.
