Audra’s Yad Ezra Wrap Up!

Hi everyone, it’s Audra! It is bittersweet for me to share that next week will be my last week at my internship! It is bizarre to think about how much I have learned throughout my time here and how fast these past 8 weeks have gone by. When I reflect on my time here, I truly appreciate all the relationships I have built and all the new skills and tools I have learned. I remember walking in, on my first day of work, I was excited, but I was so nervous. Leaving work on that day, I knew this was going to be an impactful learning experience for me, and it definitely has, in more ways than I could have predicted.

My main project for the summer has been related to the annual dinner this fall. At the beginning of the internship, I was getting refreshers on Excel functions and creating documents that were related to donor solicitation. Once that was finished, I was able to pair solicitors with donors they are historically paired with in an organized way and create a section for donors who don’t yet have a solicitor assigned to them. This required careful attention to detail, since some donors were listed multiple times, and some solicitors on the list wouldn’t be soliciting this year. The most exciting part about all of this is that at the upcoming fundraising committee meeting, I will get to see my hard work in action!

After the donor and solicitor information was finalized, I began working on data that pertained to the annual dinner invite list. As the list contained around 4,000 individuals, I had to go through manually to ensure everything was spelled right, there were no duplicates of people, and addresses were up to date. This was a continuous process of analyzing the list multiple times and catching even the smallest errors to ensure it was ready for when the invites get sent out in August. It was tedious work at times, but knowing that each correction meant one more guest would receive their invite without a mistake made it feel worthwhile.

While working on my project, I learned Excel, analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills. All of these skills are extremely transferable, and I will be able to apply them to my future endeavors, whether in accounting, or wherever my career takes me.

In addition to my main project working towards the annual dinner, I have also gotten the opportunity to help with accounting. This has been incredible for me as an accounting major. I have been able to identify different accounts and understand how invoices relate to them and affect the financial statements. In Michigan, to get a CPA, license, I will have to take a non-profit accounting course before I graduate. It was amazing to gain a little bit of insight into the non-profit accounting world before I take the course, which makes me feel much more prepared.

Each week, I also write blogs, just like the one you’re reading! Writing blogs has been a creative way for me to educate others about Yad Ezra and reflect on my own experiences.

Speaking of creativity, I have gotten to assist in marketing tasks! I have two passions. Accounting and digital marketing. I have been working to increase engagement on Instagram, and I have even started a Yad Ezra TikTok account! I like having the balance of doing analytical work as well as working on something creative.

Lastly, I think the most meaningful part of my internship has been the opportunity to interact with clients. Through this, I have strengthened my communication skills while working with a diverse set of clients. It is wonderful seeing a smile on a client’s face when they walk through the doors, knowing they are about to receive food. During serving sessions, I have volunteered in both the shopping side and the check-in side, but my favorite is the check-in. I get to have conversations with the clients and just be a friendly face for them to see. Those small moments of connection are the ones I know I’ll carry with me long after this internship ends.

Out of the jobs I have had thus far, this has been my favorite. I mentioned this in my very first blog, about how company culture is important to me, and that stayed true with the Yad Ezra Staff community. A huge thank you to Shane, Courtney, Jeff, Heather, Emily, Erin, Hannah, and David, for being incredible leaders and making this a warm and welcoming work environment. During my breaks through the school year, I will for sure be back to volunteer!