When I first applied for the CAPS Fellowship, I wasn’t just hoping to gain experience for my
resume. More than anything, I wanted to understand what life after college could actually look like. As a first-generation college student, I have not had many opportunities to observe professionals in an office environment or see what it looks like to be part of a team working toward a common mission. I wanted to learn what was expected of me in a professional workplace; how meetings function, how coworkers communicate, how projects are planned, and how people collaborate to solve problems. At the same time, I wanted my work to matter. If I was going to spend my summer interning somewhere, I hoped it would be with an organization whose mission aligned with my own passion for serving others. The American Red Cross gave me exactly that opportunity.

One experience that captures my summer better than any other was helping lead the Sound the Alarm event in Auburn Gresham. Although the Red Cross had already hosted one Sound the
Alarm event earlier this year, several residents who had signed up for free smoke alarm
installations were unable to be reached. Our team decided to return to the neighborhood to
make sure those families still had the opportunity to receive this potentially life-saving service.
However, there was one complication. The event date had already been scheduled for the last
day of my internship. That realization forced the planning team to push the event up a week
earlier. When the event date unexpectedly changed, I personally called every resident on our list to confirm they were still available. I reorganized installation routes so our volunteer teams could reach as many homes as possible, created maps for each route, and helped coordinate the logistics leading up to the event. On the morning of Sound the Alarm, I greeted volunteers as they arrived, answered questions, distributed materials, and then joined one of the installation teams as we went into the community.

Looking back, what stands out to me most is not the planning itself. It is how natural it felt to
step into that leadership role. At the beginning of the summer, I would have questioned whether I belonged in that position. Could I lead volunteers? Could I organize a large community event? Could people trust me with responsibilities that directly affected others? Those doubts that riddled my mind less than 150 days ago haven’t even crossed my mind now, and Sound the Alarm became the moment when I realized I truly have the potential to grow into the kind of professional I hope to become. For the first time, I genuinely felt competent. I wasn’t just observing professionals anymore; rather, I was actively contributing alongside them. That realization has been one of the greatest gifts of this internship.

Tyrell Frieson, American Red Cross