Meet Maddy Clayton: Events intern at UWCI

 Even though I started my internship at United Way on the same day the semester began, my first day was an experience I will never forget. After my orientation, I was brought to my supervisor who then showed me to my desk. My first project was to reach out to companies for donations and gather them for the ELEVATE silent auction. I was nervous at first but after I got the hang of it, I felt more confident and my supervisor noticed as well. As a member of the ELEVATE team, I get to interact with companies all over Indiana about the event to see if they are interested in donating. As a result, I’ve had the chance to explore different areas of Indianapolis that I wouldn’t have otherwise visited. I am responsible for gathering wine for the wine pull and coming up with creative ideas for gift baskets, too. During the event, I will be assisting in set up and tear down and I look forward to seeing what it takes to host a major event. I also attended the Indiana Forward press conference. My duties included setting up and tearing down the display, assisting with the live stream, and holding signage for the sign language interpreter. I even got to network and build connections at the statehouse. The work I am doing at United Way makes me feel like I am making a difference. I feel valued, appreciated for my hard work, and I know I’m part of a team. I love my internship because I feel as though my opinion matters. Within the short time I have spent at United Way of Central Indiana, I’ve even begun to think about what full-time opportunities could like for me as I near graduation later this year. Before I began, I was worried that I would not be prepared for this internship since I was unsure of my major and I had no experience in the event industry. Now, however, I not only feel prepared and qualified for this internship, but I am eager to see what lies ahead.