case studies

The Demure Intern

Posted on Thursday, 13 June 2013By: Bradley Conyers, Coulter Intern December 2011 Let’s just say that my resume wasn’t dazzling. One could argue (justly) that nepotism played an important role. But hey, it got me here. It isn’t a traditional move to leave the “gnat-capital of the world” in Statesboro, GA, to spend four weeks swimming in the alphabet soup comprised of the Coulter clients – although it is one that I’ve come to exalt as “game-changing.” But I’m getting ahead of myself. In true intern fashion, the work wasn’t stimulating, showy, or even mildly stirring for that matter; but, for alliteration’s sake, it was spine-tingling. Standing bent over an open file cabinet while digging through twelve months of processed checks looking for the “golden ticket” was more a challenge on posture than anything else. As a 20 year-old newbie to the Coulter game, it was the only thing that I could have done. Yet, much like a Mr. Miyagi training exercise, I came away with an understanding of who the clients were and what they were all about – setting the stage for my next four tenures. A few projects involving check runs and CRM navigation in the accounting department were perfectly suited to further my knowledge of what it takes to work in the fields of Finance and Information Systems (my fields of study). Seeing my classes come to life in a real-world setting was immensely rewarding exposure that you simply cannot get in a classroom. The ability to apply techniques I learned to existent business framework yielded an informed examination of and, subsequently, passion for my career trajectory. June 2013 Now I’m sure at this point you’re saying “Duh, Brad. Thank you for your imaginative re-inventing of the internship wheel.” You’re right; this is what it’s all about. The salient characteristic of Coulter though is that you have an opportunity here to say “yes” to opportunities all over the map; data entry, copying, spreadsheet creation/manipulation (<3), research, advocacy attendance, events, travel, award prep, strategic planning, website designing, and even conference planning for any number of the 18 wildly-different non-profits that reside in this office. It. Is. Amazing. You always have exciting new projects in which you engage with a different team where you are treated as another full-time employee; real responsibilities, real deadlines, and real anger when you are not doing your personal best to contribute to the team. You are surrounded by people who are galvanized by success and passionate about each and every client – proven by their readiness to do anything in the pursuit of innovative improvement. In addition to filing and submitting check requests, intern Brad Conyers said “yes” to the opportunity to staff the Gracie Awards, hosted by Coulter client the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation.  Although event preparations and backstage management were rigorous, Brad did get a moment to have his picture taken with actress Sarah Chalke. (photo ©Leroy Hamilton)     ... Read more