Mal Warwick Donordigital is celebrating the “back to school” season by featuring the voice of our summer intern, Jordan Leathers.

Jordan is a student at the University of Maryland who spent the summer partnering with MWD and learning about integrated fundraising and advocacy. We’re so grateful for Jordan’s contributions over the summer and look forward to introducing more young people to our world of progressive fundraising through our (paid) summer internship program next year.

Reflecting on my summer internship - Jordan Leathers

I spent most of my summer interning with Mal Warwick Donordigital. It was a new experience for me as I’ve never had a “real” job. After working here, I can confidently say that I wouldn’t have wanted my first experience like this to be anywhere else.

One of my biggest takeaways from my time here is the people. As a business major, the importance of networking and making connections is constantly drilled into you.  I’ve always found it very daunting. Sometimes people aren’t friendly or easy to talk to, but I’ve encountered the opposite here. Every person I had the opportunity to speak with was helpful, nice, and sincere.

I think the industry plays a big part in that.  I believe that most people in fundraising are passionate about their work and the causes they support. Everyone here works hard and is good at what they do, which is something you can find in any industry, but what I think sets fundraising apart from other professions is that you can feel the passion people have for their clients. There is a huge sense of integrity here — MWD doesn’t work for causes they don’t believe in.

I hadn’t heard much about the fundraising industry before this internship. What I’ve loved about it is that it feels fulfilling compared to what I’d expect working at a big corporation would be like. I think it’s much easier to be happy at your job when you feel like you’re making an impact and helping people. Most people at Mal Warwick Donordigital have been in this industry for many years, which I think speaks for itself.

Something important I learned during my internship is the value of good communication and a willingness to ask for help. When you work at a place like this, you are a part of a team, and you have to be able to communicate efficiently. Especially in this time of a blended work environment, being available by email, teams, etc., is crucial. A work environment that exemplifies good communication has made reaching out much easier. I’ve had more questions than I can count during my time here, and I have not hesitated to ask every single one.

Another important thing I took away from my internship is that it’s good to simply learn. I sat in on numerous calls, emails, and presentations about things I would never do during my time here.  I can confidently say I’ll leave MWD with multiple skills, experience, and knowledge that will help me in my future career.

Overall, I can’t say enough good things about my internship experience at Mal Warwick. Quite frankly, I’m a bit worried I’ve started my career path at a high point that will be hard to top. But I am confident I’ve met people and learned things I will take with me for the rest of my career.

Jordan was MWD’s first intern through TNPA’s Leading EDGE Internship Program, which aims to elevate the visibility of college-age job candidates, particularly those in underrepresented and first-generation student populations, within the employer job market; and enable first job placements that can lead to a career path in the social good sector, including roles in marketing & fundraising, finance, policy, data management & analysis, and other operations fields.