April is National Internship Awareness Month! National Internship Awareness Month was founded to celebrate the benefits of internships and highlight the opportunities they provide to students. Internships provide valuable “real-life” experience which can lead to increased qualifications after the internship.
In 2021, Enhanced DNA Publishing partnered with the Center for Leadership Development (CLD) to pilot an internship program for entrepreneurs. At CLD, the vision is to empower Central Indiana African American students to achieve the highest personal, postsecondary, and professional success through comprehensive character, academic and career development. Through their internship program, CLD partners with businesses to gain short-term work experience while a student allowing them to gain exposure in a potential career field.
The goal of the intern relationship for Enhanced DNA Publishing is to provide an experience where the intern can gain more than work experience. We challenge the intern to enhance their communication, leadership and organizational skills through the use of the GROW model. For each project, the intern is challenged to think about the GOAL, REALITY, OPTIONS/OBSTACLES and WAY FORWARD which allows them to think through each project and provide the best results in a timely manner.
But, you don’t want to hear from me, let’s hear from our Intern, Kayla Brooks….
Hello everyone! My name is Kayla Brooks and I am a Sophomore at Indiana University Bloomington, studying International Relations and Journalism. When I first applied for this internship (my first internship at that) through the Center of Leadership Development, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. However, this has turned into a great experience and a great opportunity for networking and resume building. I am super thankful for my experience with Denola and Enhanced DNA Publishing.
A few things I learned through my internship experience:
1) Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I have always been one to ask lots of questions to ensure I know exactly what needs to be done and how to do it. Let’s be honest. In the beginning, I didn’t know how to do lots of things, from making graphics to getting in contact with other authors. But, as an overthinker and simply just being a teenager, I was always concerned about being annoying or bothersome. It did not take long for me to understand that Denola was not only there to help, but the authors wanted to help too. They wanted me to succeed. After all, an internship is a learning experience, and the best way for me to learn is by asking questions.
2) Take risks and try something new. Coming into this internship, I had very little professional experience. I couldn’t really understand Excel or Canva, or even fill out a Google Form. Although I am nowhere near an expert, I now have more knowledge than I came with, and I’m not scared anymore! I am creating blogs, emails, website articles, graphics, and even created a writing contest! Stepping out of your comfort zone can be scary, but all it takes is a leap of faith to feel like you can conquer the world.
3) Don’t bite off more than you can chew. It would be wrong of me to say that balancing this internship along with my academics and personal life was a simple task. It isn’t, and that is okay! I don’t like to say “no” to things and I pride myself on being a somewhat decent multitasker. However, there was a point last year where the projects I had been doing, in addition to my extracurriculars and classes, had been piling up, and that stress was affecting the quality of my internship projects and my academics. I was able to discuss this with Denola and we were able to “right-size” my projects. That experience taught me that as much as we would love to be able to do everything under the sun, we are only human and can only do so much.
4) It’s okay to make mistakes. If I had a dollar for every time I made a mistake during this internship, I probably could buy myself half a tank of gas! I beat myself up over every mistake but the good thing about mistakes, however, is that they turn into learned lessons. Mistakes are inevitable, but how you choose to recover from them is what really matters. The purpose of an internship is to grow and learn! Interns are bound to be a little rough around the edges.
Remember, I think the most important thing in any internship is to keep an open mind and a positive attitude. Internships are a great way to network and create lasting professional relationships. Go the extra mile to reach out to people, you never know who you might meet. Your work ethic and attitude are what they will remember most.
We hope you have a better appreciation for internships and the value they provide to both the intern and the business they support. THANK YOU TO CLD AND TO OUR INTERN!
Denola M. Burton is the Founder and CEO of Enhanced DNA: Develop Nurture Achieve, LLC and Enhanced DNA Publishing. ThroughEnhanced DNA, Denola develops and nurtures individuals and organizations to achieve their Leadership, Communication and Performance goals and objectives. Denola is also an author and publisher and through Enhanced DNA Publishing, assists new and newer authors in publishing their books according to the standards of the Independent Book Publisher's Association (IBPA). Denola retired from Eli Lilly and Company after 27 years where the majority of her career was focused on Employee Relations/Human Resources. Interested in becoming an author? Check out Denola' s new book, Enhancing Your Author DNA: Step-by-Step Publishing Guide.
You can connect with Denola on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIN and Twitter at Enhanced DNA or send a message to DenolaBurton@EnhancedDNA1.com.
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