Rheanna Ganapathy : Silicon Valley Council for Nonprofits
My name is Rheanna Ganapathy and I am the Marketing and Communications intern at Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits (SVCN). Since I first started at SVCN about five months ago, I have really been able to find my niche in the organization and really feel like I have been able to establish myself within the small and tight-knit staff at SVCN.
It has been such a unique and rewarding journey being able to literally feel myself grow throughout my time at SVCN. One of my biggest learning experiences has been gaining a sense of initiative. I remember when I first started, I expected to be given assignments, being told what to do, and exactly how to do it. I soon learned that this was not the case. I understood that a lack of instruction wasn't a flaw on SVCN's part, but a learning experience for me, and a reality check into work environments the real world. These days, when I arrive at the office, I sit down at my desk and get started right away on managing all the social media accounts, our blog, calendar, and any website updates, without any sort of direction from my supervisors. Working at SVCN, coupled with our occasional NPI meetings, have certainly given me an understanding of working life, how to be independent, and how to be successful with my internship.
My current biggest project has been working to create a promotional video for one of SVCN's biggest events, Funding Your Impact Summit - a fundraising conference for other local nonprofits. I first got the idea to create a video after doing some light research into marketing tips for nonprofit organizations. After seeing again and again that videos are a great way for nonprofits to highlight their impact, I took the initiative to create a promotional video for the event, including designing a guide to taking photos and videos.
I have learned so much through my time at SVCN and I have NPI to thank for that. With the help of this program, I was able to set a list of goals for my internship and really make sure that got the most out of this internship. The skills I have learned, the relationships I have built, and the experiences I have gained will last me a lifetime.
May 18, 2016