"Don't you get sick of people glorifying something, and then when you actually do it for yourself you find out it is something completely different than what you pictured?"
Well, just so that we can keep you from doing that, the HNBF provides this page as an in depth interview with Katrina Murillo and her experience as an HNBF intern.
Interviewer: What should you expect to put into an internship?
Katrina: If you've got it, you better be willing to give it! Your internship is your job and your supervisor will be evaluating you at the end of it, so if your intentions are to put your job on your resume or use your supervisor as a reference, you should expect to do your best at anything that gets thrown your way.
Interviewer: What should you expect to get out of an internship?
Katrina: You should expect to gain experience. You'll get a wide range of experience, whether it is in public speaking, learning new research methods, time management, and so much more. Basically, you should expect to learn!
Interviewer: What were your expectations about interning with the HNBF? Were they met?
Katrina: Were they met? Yea they were met in ways that I didn't even imagine! I expected that I would have to shadow my supervisor most of the time and be asked to work on assignments that are otherwise known as busy work. I was so relieved to find out that when I got here, I was immediately dialed in to everything that the HNBF was working on, and given direction on what my role was and how it would fit into the big picture.
Interviewer: Describe your first day.
Katrina: Hi. Ready, Set, Go.-- No, in all honesty, it was great. As was expected, I was nervous to be new in DC and working in a completely new environment. Magda [HNBF Executive Director] met me in the lobby, showed me around the building, and did a marvelous job at welcoming me to the HNBF. I was briefed about what the internship would entail and the sort of work that was expected of me. It was great to have this laid out in the very beginning so that we were both on the same page as far as what was to be expected of my work for the next several months. All I know, is at the end of the first day, I had already got a security badge, moved into my space, given my official @hnbf.org email address and was well on my way working on my first project it was a great day.
Interviewer: How do you feel your internship prepared you for the real world?
Katrina: Well, for starters I was working in the real world, so if getting it shoved in your face isnt preparation enough, I don't know what is! I have typically worked one or two jobs during a regular school year, so I was used to being outside of an academic environment, but interning in the city really grounded in me the need to stay on top of scheduling. There is so much to be involved with, and when you are apart of an environment that the HNBF helps provide, you want to be apart of all that you can you just have to know how to manage them all.
Interviewer: Name the experience that has affected you the most as an intern?
Katrina: I would have to say being invited to attend conferences focused on issues of diversity and justice. These opportunities were directly dependent on me being an intern for the HNBF. These conferences were focused on issues that are important to the HNBF (and some were during normal work hours), so if I had not been an intern for this type of organization, my chances of being invited to and participating in them would be slim to none.
Interviewer: If you could do one thing differently as an intern, what would it be?
Katrina: I would have tried to fit as much information about the HNBF into my brain as I could PRIOR to my first day. With such a short amount of time to intern, you dont want to waste it on anything that could have gotten done before working.
Interviewer: Any advice for people interested in interning?
Katrina: DO IT! While you are on the internet get off of Facebook and MySpace and start looking for internship opportunities! I think it made for a much more exciting experience to intern in a new city, so you may want to consider looking outside of your comfort area. Paid internships and stipends are always a plus, but sometimes the one that you really want doesnt pay. With that said, you should always go for the one that is most fitting with your personality, your goals, and your desires. Doing something because you love it, instead of for ulterior motives, the experience will always prove to be more rewarding and much more enjoyable. Initially, you need to take the step to apply, so hurry up!