I will always remember what my mother told me before I started applying for my first internship. She said, “Izzy, a good internship provides you with experiences, lessons, and tools you’ll need to get a full-time gig in the future, so find a place that you believe will allow you to receive those three things.” Good thing I listened to her. Today, April 20, 2021, I wrapped up my first internship ever. Wow! My first internship is complete. That feels so weird to say. It felt like just yesterday I was settling into my new apartment in Washington, D.C. preparing to be away from my family for the longest time since March 2020. I will forever hold IFC and its staff so close to my heart for entrusting me with not only one internship role, but two. I worked as IFC’s Communications & Publicity Intern and as well as their Development Intern for the past four months.
Being in these roles allowed me to encounter people, cultures and ideas I had known little about previously. Being a Religious Studies minor, I knew about the core world religions and their practices, but never truly dove into learning about their depths. Working at IFC helped me accomplish that. I could not be more grateful for the conversations I had, the people I met, and the work I was delegated. I designed IFC’s Redbubble plan, created an Interfaith Calendar for the staff to look to when reaching out to donors/constituents on their faith tradition’s big holidays, ran the social media accounts, and so much more! I am so proud of my work and the staff made it known to me that they were proud as well.
As I look forward to my senior year of college, I will cherish the lessons learned from IFC. I am appreciative of everything the staff has done for me in order to make me feel welcomed and appreciated throughout my internship. IFC has left a significant mark on my life and it will not be forgotten. Thank you for everything, IFC. I will miss you.
–Isabella Ubaydi (Roanoke College ’22)