At Connecticut College, the journey for your junior year internship starts during orientation with the first workshop. Throughout this journey, I have taken seven workshops ranging from how to write a cover letter or résumé to interview prep. I have sent countless emails to my CELS adviser and have met with her many times.

This past semester has been the most exhaustive of all my CELS training. This was when I put everything I knew to the test in order to secure my junior year internship. I am very happy to say I succeeded and I will be spending 10 weeks this summer working as a communications intern at Environmental Defense Fund.

It was not an easy process; as my friends and I joke, applying for internships should be a class. I spent countless hours researching internships, writing cover letters for each application and drafting emails to send to potential employers. I think one of my most valuable assets were my two friends, CELS Fellows Natalie Calhoun and Mike Amato.They would look over my emails and cover letters whenever I needed their help. One memorable time was sitting down at lunch, sliding my phone over to one of them and asking, “Is this an OK email?” Without hesitation, they advised. I don't think I would have gotten the internship without them.

The internship process is difficult at any school, but I'm so glad that Connecticut College provides these kinds of resources (and I happen to make friends with the resources) so that I can get all the help I need while applying to internships.