Crafting My Own Internship Experience
Hey, Y’all! I hope everyone’s summer is off to a great start.
Like many students, I do not really have a clear idea about what it is I want to pursue after college, but I felt the pressure and need to explore this summer through an internship. As I looked for internships through Indeed, LinkedIn, etc I struggled to find an internship I felt passionate about. I interviewed for a few finance and marketing companies but none seemed to interest me or be the kind of environment I wanted to work in. Yearning to make an impact in an organization and make connections within the Dallas startup community, I began researching organizations in Dallas that help small businesses. That’s how I came across The Dallas Entrepreneurship Center.
With the support of the Center for Career Development, I will be interning at The Dallas Entrepreneurship Center (the DEC) in Dallas, Texas this summer. The DEC is a non-profit, co-working space created to help Dallas entrepreneurs build and grow their businesses through education programs, mentorship, and a network of like-minded people.
My first two weeks here have been eye-opening and engaging, to say the least. Because the DEC staff consists of only about 8 people and there is only one other intern, I was quickly able to familiarize myself with the company’s mission, employees, and DEC members. In addition, I had the privilege of meeting and connecting with the DEC CEO, Trey Bowles, a serial entrepreneur, social capitalist, and educator.
The DEC internship’s program is unique in the sense that there is no set agenda. It is up to us to create our own experience here by getting involved in the departments that interest us most and setting learning objectives. Furthermore, we will document our experiences to create a process and outline for future interns. So far, I have committed my time to creating a marketing campaign and generating content for the DEC’s social media accounts. During the next few weeks, I will be working to redesign the company’s website and I will be starting a blog featuring our very own entrepreneurs and highlighting their current venture’s journeys. It is safe to say I greatly appreciate the ability to craft my internship by focusing on what interests me most.
These past two weeks have been filled with inspiration and learning opportunities, and it’s only the beginning! Stay tuned to hear more about my internship experience!