Name: Wura Oni
Class Year: 2024
Major: Performance Arts and Textual Analysis
Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria
Internship Organization: Paragon One
Job Title: Non Profit Consulting Extern
Location: New York, United States
What's happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
Hello everyone! My name is Wura Oni, and I am a senior from Lagos, Nigeria. This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern with Silicon Valley Urban Debate League (SVUDL) through Paragon One, a platform that connects students with valuable internship experiences. Today, I want to share with you the highlights of my final presentation, where I delved into strategies for alumni engagement, drawing inspiration from the remarkable work of organizations like Girls Who Code and SVUDL itself.
Why did you apply for this internship?
My passion lies in strategy and management consulting. I am deeply intrigued by the process of identifying challenges, devising innovative solutions, and implementing strategies that create positive impacts. When I learned about the opportunity to work with SVUDL and explore alumni engagement strategies, I knew it was the perfect fit for me. I wanted to apply my academic knowledge in a real-world setting, and this internship provided me with just that chance.
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
My favorite part of this internship process has been the opportunity to make a real impact. There's a sense of fulfillment in knowing that the strategies and recommendations I've developed during my internship could potentially enhance alumni engagement at SVUDL, an organization I deeply care about. Seeing the potential for positive change and knowing that my work may contribute to the organization's growth and success has been incredibly rewarding. I've enjoyed the learning journey, from researching best practices in alumni engagement to collaborating with colleagues and presenting my findings. The ability to apply my academic knowledge in a practical setting and witness the tangible results of my efforts has been both fulfilling and motivating.
Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?
I learned how to speak healthcare. I say that, because entering that world there's a whole different kind of jargon that is used. My first conference I attended I didn't understand a word of what people were talking about. But as the summer went on, I became more literate in the Medicaid world. This is not only helping me navigate my own healthcare, it's making me more able to understand the structural flaws and successes of the US healthcare system and how they impact people I love and will one day work with.
Visit the Summer Internship Stories page to read more about student internship experiences.