I entered my internship with the American Red Cross without expectations, mostly because I didn’t know fully what to expect and what I would be working on. I felt excited to try something new and branch out beyond my area of study and my typical skill set, something I had mentioned during the CAPS application process that I wanted to focus on and grow in. So far, I believe that the work I’ve been able to do through the American Red Cross has helped me to see myself and my calling as something greater than one niche thing. I have my hands in many different places, and it’s been refreshing to exercise different skills and ‘muscles’ of my brain to assist with various projects. 

Specifically, I have been working with my wonderful supervisor, Colleen, on various projects relating to the alliance between the American Red Cross of Indiana and Indiana University Health. I am updating the volunteer information packet for the new volunteers from IU Health. I am adding updated information to the packet and also improving the design. Additionally, I am putting together the summer edition of the quarterly newsletter, which involves designing the newspaper and interviewing nurse volunteers to highlight in the newsletter. 

Something I am learning, especially having a remote internship, is that just because I don’t see a direct impact of the work I’m doing doesn’t mean that my work isn’t impactful or important. While I may not be able to directly interact with a lot of the volunteers or know who will read the packet and the newsletter, I understand that those resources that I am working on will benefit the network of Red Cross volunteers in one capacity or another. As someone who normally craves instant feedback and honestly, gratification, learning to trust the long-term impact of something I’m creating is a major growth area in these first couple weeks of my internship. 

Another growth area from the first few weeks of my internship has been building a practice of discipline. Working remotely means that I need to create a schedule each day, and keep myself on track for certain tasks and projects I need to complete. I have learned a lot about myself, how I work best, and how I can keep myself motivated, especially on the days when I am not as eager to work on things. Having the end goal of completing three hundred hours in the back of my mind has been especially helpful. I even made a paper tracker to cross off the hours I complete, which has been a fun reward at the end of each workday. Keeping myself on track for completing the hours has led to a practice of being more intentional with how I spend my time and a new focus on the importance of routine and prioritization, skills that I can continue to apply throughout the rest of my professional and personal life.

All in all, the past few weeks interning with the American Red Cross have been rich in learning opportunities and moments of growth. I am looking forward to what the rest of the summer will bring!

• Grace Roberts, American Red Cross