Learning “The Business of Giving”: Interning at NPT
Every year, National Philanthropic Trust welcomes college students and recent graduates to our summer intern program. Each intern supports a specific department, gaining insight into various roles in that department as well as into how our organization functions as a whole. This summer, we were fortunate to be joined by six fantastic interns who contributed to a range of projects, including developing our annual DAF Report, opening new donor accounts, and conducting inventory reviews. Read on to hear what these young professionals had to say about their time at NPT:
“Interning at NPT is characterized by countless opportunities to learn. All of the interns, along with other recently hired employees, kicked off the summer with NPT University, a crash course training on all things NPT. Throughout the summer, I learned more about the organization and the wider world of philanthropy as I joined meetings, conducted research, and helped create web and print content. Everyone I’ve worked with at NPT has been so supportive, both in teaching me valuable skills and in giving me the creative freedom to make my own contributions. It’s inspiring to work with a group of people who use their talents for good. Through it all, I have felt a real sense of the mission driving the work that is done here. I hope to bring both the skills and the professional ethos I’ve learned at NPT to all that I do going forward.”
—Fiona Kennedy, Marketing and Communications Intern, Georgetown University
“My internship at NPT has taught me many professional skills that I will bring with me to my future endeavors. One thing that is really unique about NPT is the donor-centric mindset and focus on donor satisfaction. I liked how each employee focused on the mission of the donors as they worked to complete tasks in a timely and thorough manner. I also learned the importance of communication across every department and saw how the entire company relies on each other to successfully keep things running smoothly. This transparency helped me to directly see how my work was able to help a donor achieve their philanthropic goals!”
— Katherine Nelson, Operations Intern, Penn State University
“Throughout my summer internship at NPT, I gained a lot of professional and technical experience. However, there was nothing I found quite as valuable as the company culture. Working at NPT taught me how important it is to work for a company that values its employees and to work with people that you truly enjoy being around. The team I worked with was friendly, encouraging, and supportive of my ideas and thoughts and I felt included and accepted no matter whom I was speaking to. I also noticed that although there were times of stress or frustration, it was never taken out on anyone; the goal was always to solve the problem collaboratively. As I move forward with my career, I am so happy to have had such a positive start!”
—Kendall O’Neill, Donor Relations and Institutional Services Intern, University of Alabama
I hope to bring both the skills and the professional ethos I’ve learned at NPT to all that I do going forward.
“As a recent college graduate searching for job opportunities, I always prioritize a company’s focus on philanthropy. I was immediately drawn to NPT’s values and company culture and was eager for an opportunity to work for a company that would make me feel good about what I do. While working at NPT over the past few months, I was not disappointed. NPT is comprised of passionate staff members who are eager to play their part in giving back. The company’s values are consistent with my own, and I hope to continue my journey with NPT in the future.”
— Veronica Williams, Operations Intern, West Chester University
“I left the office each day with new knowledge on how to gather and analyze data more efficiently. I received constructive criticism for every task I was given, further improving the work I was contributing to the team. I was also invited to numerous meetings that provided me with valuable information on digital marketing strategies and search engine optimization. I will take these new skills with me through my senior year at Penn State and beyond.
During the last few weeks of the position, my supervisors went out of their way to show me how appreciated my work was. I will never forget the day when we walked into a room full of cupcakes, brownies, and, most importantly, our very own personal pizzas. The kind gesture of throwing us a farewell surprise party emphasized the gratitude that our supervisors have for their interns.”
—Tara Mays, Marketing and Communications Intern, Penn State University
“As I worked at NPT this summer, I learned the importance of working for an employer whose mission you believe in. Something I was told shortly after I started has stuck with me: ‘At the end of the day, we’re in the business of giving money away.’ Regardless of any speed bump, hiccup, or inconvenience, the morale remains high, and for good reason. Everything we do at NPT, every single day, is in service of giving away money. And it feels great to work for a company whose goal is to give money away to those who need it.”
— Ben Brodovsky, IT Intern, Montgomery County Community College
From all of us at NPT, we’d like to sincerely thank Fiona, Katherine, Kendall, Veronica, Tara and Ben for sharing your energy and creativity with us this summer! We wish you all the best of luck in your next academic and professional steps, and we look forward to seeing what incredible things you achieve.
To learn more about working at National Philanthropic Trust, and to view our current career opportunities, please visit our Careers Page.
