Major(s): Undeclared
What was the name of the organization you worked for over the summer?
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
What was your role and what did you work on?
I have had the opportunity of working at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago as the CASE intern in the Advancement Operations Department. My first project was assessing prospects of The Gene Siskel Film Center at SAIC and Corporate, Foundation, and Grant research which led me to gain the necessary skills I needed for my large project: assessing the top 100 prospects from the incoming class of 2028 parents/guardians in addition to updating and creating updated bios for 300 current prospects in the Major Gift/Principal Gift level.
What was a highlight of your experience?
After completing my internship project, I was also able to dive into the inner workings of advancement operations through understanding a fiscal year pipeline and providing insights on ways to increase alumni engagement fiscally to increase projections for the FY25. I was able to identify patterns in the past engagement/giving and was able to find places for improvement and ways to engage with new prospects.
How did your summer experience impact you?
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago experience added to my understanding of advancement and development and how I can incorporate the lessons learned in my work at Wesleyan’s Advancement Office. This internship continues to provide me with the spark to dive into the field of advancement and I hope to continue with this path after Wesleyan.
