Looking back at my first blog post and reading what my expectations were going into the internship I realized I have gotten much better at goal setting and communication. Those were a few skills I needed to get better at to become a more productive and better organized employee for wherever the internship takes me next. I’ve always been a little forgetful with my to-do lists and my planners were always blank; but outlining my events for the week ensured my day-to-day goals were met and that I was always on top of my objectives. Goal setting was a necessary skill I’m glad I developed over the summer. Making sure blogs get posted, calling the next business to intern at, and writing my hours down everyday are just some examples of how goal setting helped me be successful with Ogallala Commons. I learned good communication skills are an invaluable tool needed not just for speaking face to face, but also over the phone, through email and texts as well.
I want to take what I’ve learned this summer and use it while applying and interviewing for possible jobs and careers. My goal planning lets me easily keep track of interview dates and employer names while my ever evolving communication skills allow me to express my opinions and ideas while staying professional and appropriate to the situation.
To start off a summary of my internship this summer I would say the orientation gave me the push I needed to have an open mind going into my first internship ready to make connections through networking not only with my employers but any customers as well. I was given the responsibility of assisting with tracking the movement and migration of certain moths in our area. I collected and counted the number of different species of moths from traps set just outside our town and sent the numbers to our county extension agent where he would then input into a graph. I’ve helped set up and work several different events throughout the internship such as the 4th of July golf scramble, picnic weekend, breast cancer awareness bra – art, summer reading at the library, etc. I would say my successes came when I observed people being able to enjoy an event I helped organize or a particular situation in which I could see my actions having a positive effect.
I wish I would have found out about this internship a long time ago. I can’t even imagine all the different things I could have been learning each summer in my hometown. I am grateful those in my hometown got a chance to see that even someone who left Tulia and went to some far off place for college can come back and still make a positive impact on their old community because it inspires them to get their friends and family involved with Ogallala Commons.
