Reaching for a Cure
Casey Cunningham ’18, The Alzheimer’s Association
Major:
Psychology (health studies certificate).
Internship title:
I was promoted from intern to executive assistant.
How I got this internship:
As a psychology major, I was definitely interested in working at a place where I could help make a difference in the medical field. I felt that the Alzheimer's Association internship was perfect for me because it was in cognitive psychology, an area of interest for me, and also because it would allow me to gain valuable experience in a business setting. After only a few months, I have learned more from my bosses than I could have ever imagined, and I have truly become passionate about finding a cure for this horrible disease.
What I do, day to day:
As my boss, Deborah, likes to say, "There is no normal day at the Alzheimer's Association.” I spend a lot of time in the office, pulling data reports, attending meetings and just being an extra set of helping hands. However, there have been many days when I have attended business lunches to talk to potential sponsors for the association. I have also been fortunate enough to be an association liaison for an incredible Alzheimer's Supporter event. On top of this, I have represented the association at various events, such as town sidewalk sales and farmers markets, where I provided information about Alzheimer's and about upcoming association events. I thrive on the constant movement, so I truly love getting to meet with others who are also so passionate about the cause.
Previous internships:
My high school had a special program for seniors; instead of going to school for the last month, we could instead intern for a company. Excited to be finished with school, I applied for an internship at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, another nonprofit in Wilton, Conn., my hometown. I worked in their office for about a month and was able to further improve my Excel and Publisher skills. Even though it was a short experience, I loved every minute of it, and I was so excited to intern once again this summer. With next year being crucial for "last chance" internships before graduating, I have already started to look into what I would like to do. I love working for health-related companies, so my dream internship for next summer would be to work at WebMD in their New York City office.
Most valuable part of this experience:
Before this internship, I was very nervous about working in an office setting. Being a psychology major, I was positive that my first job out of college would be working in a hospital. However, after working in this office setting, I have realized that I love the business field as well, especially marketing and human resources. This epiphany has been extremely valuable to me, because it can help shape what classes I take in my last few semesters at Dickinson, and it broadens my horizons, in terms of future job and internship opportunities.
Advice for students considering internships:
Many interns seem to try and stay in the shadows, doing what they are told to do and nothing more. I soon discovered that I learned so much more by asking my bosses questions. As soon as I started to get comfortable around the office and with my superiors, I started to ask questions regarding their past job experiences and career decisions. Once I heard their stories, I was in awe by how lucky I am to have such experienced and knowledgeable role models. So my advice to other interns would be to take advantage of the access you have to such successful people, and learn from them as much as you can. An internship is too short to sit in the shadows, so step out of your comfort zone and ask questions!
How this internship has helped me:
This internship has inspired me to take a variety of business courses in my last few semesters at Dickinson. It also gives me confidence, knowing that I can be successful.
Post-Dickinson plans:
I hope to work in the human resources or marketing field for a company in New York City or Boston. Depending on where that takes me, I would love to go to graduate school and work toward my master’s in one of these fields. In the long term, I would love to be able to come back to a nonprofit setting as a way of giving back to the companies that helped and inspired me to pursue this field.
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Published August 2, 2016