We are proud to have had more than 375 interns from all around the world who have worked to a combined 22,000 hours last year! We recently caught up with one of our former interns, Eli Kurlander, about his experience at Seaside Sustainability. He worked with us for almost two years as one of the first Intern Managers and on a range of projects like the grants team and the Seabin team. Here is what he had to say about working at Seaside Sustainability:
Q: What were some of the projects you worked on and what did you enjoy about them?
A: I have worked on [many] challenging projects ranging from writing policies to managing projects and [collaborating with interns from a variety of backgrounds]. I [also worked on] writing a grant application for Seaside. [As a grants writer], I wrote and successfully obtained a grant award from the North Shore Workforce Board for more than $4,000. This task was especially meaningful to me as I enjoyed getting to work on a project that would eventually help to protect the environment, an issue of
which I am very passionate about.
Overall, all of the projects at Seaside were enjoyable to me as I was able to work on meaningful projects where I felt that I was making a difference.
Q: What is your overall take on your internship experience? What did you learn and in what ways have you grown? Will you be able to take anything from this internship into your future endeavors?
A: I [...] cannot put into words everything that this internship has given me over the nearly two years that I have been a part of the Seaside family, but I can unequivocally say that I have gained [knowledge from] a variety of roles. Not only have I gained experience writing policies and writing numerous documents as well, but I have also attained important management experience through managing projects, including the Seabin team and Seaside Sustainability’s internship program, and through managing interns.
Q: Would you recommend this opportunity to a friend? Why or why not?
A: I would 100% recommend this opportunity. Through my internship, I have gained invaluable experience that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my life. All of the work that I have done at Seaside Sustainability is incredibly relevant and I know that it will serve me very well in whatever I choose to do in the future.
I truly felt like I was making a difference and working to protect our environment through real and meaningful work, which is why I chose to apply to Seaside Sustainability in the first place. More importantly, the connections and relationships that I have made throughout my internship with my fellow management staff as well as Eric Magers, the Executive Director, is something that I will always cherish. I [would] recommend this opportunity to anyone looking to work for an organization with an incredible mission and one that truly cares about their interns.
We are grateful for the dedication and enthusiasm that Eli brought to our organization. Seaside Sustainability depends on hard-working interns like him so that together, we can continue to protect our oceans and community.
Thank you for your work, Eli!