Social Innovation Forum
Mia Guthrie, Development Co-op
I had the opportunity to learn about the work of nonprofits. With SIF being an intermediary nonprofit, I was given the chance to observe and participate in the development and fundraising processes of supporting not only local communities, but the nonprofits that give so much to the people of Boston.
In my day-to-day, I worked behind the scenes in Development to ensure each and every one of our donors was recognized for their contribution to the SIF community. I pulled reports, sorted data, processed gifts, and attended meetings. While I enjoyed working with numbers and learning new “Tips and Tricks” in Excel, I appreciated the times I was able to connect in person with other coworkers and co-ops while in the office.
I was especially thankful to be a part of sending out the 2022 Annual Report booklets to the SIF community. All departments worked in collaboration with one another over several months in order to write the report, and have it printed and mailed before Thanksgiving. I’m grateful to have been part of that team effort and the team as a whole during these last 6 months.
Camille Guzmán, Communications & Events Co-op
As I approach the last days of my co-op at SIF, I believe it is a great opportunity for me to reflect on the past six months and what I have learned. During my six months at SIF, I worked in the Communications department where I handled social media, email marketing, graphic design and event planning alongside the Communications and Brand manager. I really enjoyed gaining this valuable hands-on work experience. One of the biggest takeaways from my co-op experience at SIF will be the importance of task and time management and being able to deliver on brand messaging and graphics/images.
One of my favorite memories while working at SIF was being on the Warm Winter Welcome planning committee and attending this great event. On the planning committee, I learned a lot about the importance of teamwork and working cross functionally within an organization. Every week our team met and together, we came up with ideas about event flow, decorations, entertainment, catering, etc, which at the end resulted in a beautiful event that brought together amazing people from different areas of the nonprofit sector to hear us announce the selection of SIF’s 20th cohort!
At last, I am eternally grateful to SIF for allowing me to join their team and use my talents and knowledge to become a better professional but also help make a difference through my work. I’m excited for what the future holds and I’m positive that everything I learned during my time at SIF will enrich my future and my career.
Vincent Rago, Special Projects & Operations Co-op
Over the past six-months, I have enjoyed the opportunity to complete my first co-op experience with the Social Innovation Forum (SIF) as the Special Projects and Operations Co-op. In this role, I truly ran the gamut in terms of experiencing all of what SIF has to offer as I had the unique opportunity to work with Development, Programs, Strategy & Operations, and more in between. This birds-eye view of the operations of a nonprofit, especially an intermediary organization such as SIF, has taught me much about the philanthropic sector and has been immensely thought-provoking as I continue to navigate academia and professional career options.
A highlight of my experience at SIF was the opportunity to participate as a supporter and learner on multiple issue tracks for this year’s Accelerator selection process. Not only did I have the chance to meet fantastic nonprofit and funding partners with vast knowledge and experience in important social issue areas, but I also had the outstanding opportunity to go on multiple site visits to grassroots nonprofit organizations. These site visits provided me with valuable insight into the fantastic and varied work these organizations do and the hurdles they face, both systemically and on a day-to-day basis.
Thank you to my colleagues and supervisors for being wonderful guides and mentors throughout this experience. Learning about the nonprofit community has been deeply informative for me and has empowered me to be confident in my work and my voice. I am grateful to have been part of such an inclusive and dynamic workplace for my first co-op experience, and I am certain that the lessons I have learned over the past six months will last a lifetime.