I know most of you have a lot on your mind right now… finals, papers, projects, etc. But I think it is a nice time to celebrate some of the hard work our majors have been doing this past semester, and so today we are profiling Carly Smith and the internship she has been doing this past semester at the ACLU. Here we go…
Carly, smiling because she loves her internship at the ACLU
Q: Where do you intern and what do they do?
Carly: “I am currently a Community Engagement and Organizing Intern at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC). The ACLU is a national non-profit focused on protecting the civil liberties of Americans and defending the constitution. The ACLU has a long history in civil rights issues in America and it is a very well known, very well respected organization.”
Q: How did you find this internship?
Carly: “I am interested in a career in public service and I have been exploring multiple paths of public service I could take. Over the summer, I interned at the State Capitol, which is where I found out about the ACLU internship. I have always been a huge supporter of the ACLU and this internship seemed like the perfect fit for me.”
Q: Why did you decide to intern there?
Carly: “I am interested in a career in public service and I have been exploring multiple paths of public service I could take. Over the summer, I interned at the State Capitol, which is where I found out about the ACLU internship. I have always been a huge supporter of the ACLU and this internship seemed like the perfect fit for me.”
Q: What did you do on a regular basis at your internship?
Carly: “The ACLU has several departments. There is a legal department, a policy department, a communications department, and the organizing department. The organizing department’s main role is to reach out to the community and support grassroots effort. Throughout my internship, I participated in many components of the organizing department. I started off traveling to UC and CSU colleges throughout the state and reaching out to college activists and telling them about the ACLU while trying to form partnerships with them. I also assisted in planning a winter activist retreat. I was responsible for researching transportation and food.
The main project that I worked on was the abolition of the death penalty. I put together mailings and coordinated volunteers to gather signatures in order to have the removal of the death penalty on the 2012 ballots. It is really amazing to be a part of such a huge moment in California’s history.”
Q: What did you learn from this internship?
Carly: “I have learned so much at the ACLU. Everyday I learn about different civil liberty causes that the ACLU is fighting to protect. It has been amazing to work at the ACLU while the Occupy movements have been going on. I feel like I am witnessing history everyday at work. That is why I love this internship so much. I have an active role is creating change for a better world and the ACLU is in my opinion, is the most important organization out there that is creating a better America.”
Q: What advice do you have for other students looking for an internship?
Carly: “My advice for my peers looking for internships is to first determine what you want to go into and then research all of the main companies out there in that field. Then go to their website and most of them will have internship postings. San Francisco is a prime location for college students to be building their resumes. The job market is so competitive that only having a degree is simply not enough. I also suggest speaking to different centers at USF. The McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good has an amazing internship program in Sacramento over the summer interning at the State Capitol. It is completely funded and you receive 4 free units of course credit. Plus, the networking opportunities are astounding. I did it last summer and it was the best decision I have made at USF so far.”
Thanks, Carly, or sharing your experiences with us! This sounds like it has been a great internship experience!
Students, remember to check our Internship Binder in KA 313, we get new postings all the time and have already started getting some announcements for spring internships. Alums, if your company is looking for interns, keep us in mind and send us the announcements!
