"So WHERE exactly are you interning?"

      Between American Idol's Scotty McCreery's homecoming adventures on WRAL and watching way too much Law & Order: SVU, I have decided to write on my blog today. LUCKY YOU!

      I have been a little sicky and have successfully put off unpacking from college and  from the beach and/or packing for NYC or next year's house. #whomp. #gottarestupforthecity.

     As soon as summer comes into view, everyone begins to ask you your plans. You know summers are important as any stressed-out, driven college student will soon find out, especially at UNC-CH. If you aren't interning, working, job-hunting, test-taking, or making something of yourself you are "useless" in the eyes of grad schools and/or job markets. Or, at least that's what we've been told by our university...

      This summer, I have made plans to hit the city in order to learn about what I want to do with my life. Because goodness knows, I have little to no clue! I have been asked 1,247 times  But this summer, I will be interning at the National Down Syndrome Society in Manhattan, NY!

       Last summer, I interned in Raleigh for the Autism Society of NC, mostly because autism has played a huge role in my life and defining who I am as an individual. I did a lot of solicitation work for them and event planning work in their development department, but this summer I'm trying on a different side of the non-profit world: publicity!

        At the National Down Syndrome Society, I will be making a video out of pictures that are sent in from all over America of adults and children affected by Down Syndrome. I will compile a video with facts, pictures, and clips of people. These images will hopefully show a crowd that Down Syndrome has no limits and can affect any race, any sex, any nationality, etc. AND...here's the cool part. It's going to show in Times Square to publicize for the NDSS's Buddy Walk, which will take place in September. SO EXCITING! NDSS will receive thousands of pictures, but only 300 or so pictures can be chosen, and so I will get to lead a group of volunteers from Goldman Sachs (who pay to have the video shown in Times Square) to choose these top pictures! 

      Non-profit work is definitely what I want to do, but I just got to figure out where I can be the most effective and where I can SUPPORT myself after college. This internship seems like a cool place to start. Here we go, people!

Mom and I in Times Square March 2011

     If you would like to learn more about the National Down Syndrome Society or the video/picture contest, there is a link to the website on the side of the blog! :)