Internship Experience at the Social Centers
Written by Nancy Constanza| Fall ‘22 Intern
During the Fall semester of 2022, I interned at East Boston Social Centers as a Marketing & Communication intern through Semester in the City Program. While working at East Boston Social Centers, I gained invaluable experience in social media marketing. The organization does a lot of great things for the residents of East Boston and the neighboring areas. Having the opportunity to conduct genuine work at East Boston Social Centers was pretty scary to me. I was afraid of failing to fulfill my mentor's expectations, yet I was wrong. East Boston Social Centers was a fantastic fit for me since I got the opportunity to work with a wonderful mentor who did an excellent job introducing me to the nonprofit world. In addition, I get to do my work in a warm and friendly atmosphere where people always seem happy to see me. Seeing that smile inspired me to keep pushing myself toward my goals and to help me grow as a person and as an employee.
One of my life goals has always been to empower my community, the BIPOC community, but I never understood how or where to begin. I was slightly familiar with the concept of nonprofits but otherwise unaware of their operations and their role in local communities.
During my involvement with East Boston Social Centers, I learned that nonprofit organizations are powerful tools for creating community, belonging, and joy in neighborhoods. Now, I feel that nonprofit organizations are the key solution to all of our social problems because the basic theme of most of those organizations is community. When communities get together, they become incredibly strong, and people's voices are more able to be heard than when a single individual tries to solve a problem.
Nancy with Active Adults particpants
The Active Adults Programs at the East Boston Social Centers were a highlight of my photography visits there since their participants were always so kind and welcoming. Just witnessing adults enjoying themselves, extending a helping hand to one another, and laughing joyfully gave me the confidence to do my best in my work and bring joy to as many people as possible. As a student entrepreneur, I founded Blooming Yas with the intention of spreading joy and happiness via the art of paper flower arranging and decoration. My brand is more than just a small business to me, it also works as an emotional support tool. My experience at East Boston Social Centers pushed me to continue expanding my brand and giving joy to others.
“The marketing skills I learned during my internship will be tremendously valuable to me because I am now prepared to launch my own business social media accounts and run the business website. “
- Nancy Constanza