50. The Internship That Made Me Rethink My Career

What is it really like to start a nonprofit internship and step into purpose-driven work for the first time?In this episode of Game Over: c*ncer, Cannonball Kids’ cancer Foundation interns Emma Wade (Marketing, UCF) and Olivia Smith (English Literature & Legal Studies, UCF) share their real experiences working behind the scenes in pediatric cancer advocacy, nonprofit marketing, and storytelling.From finding their internships at UCF’s Intern Pursuit to creating social media content for CKc, writing blog posts, and producing reels that highlight life-saving research, they open up about:How to find the right internship aligned with your valuesWhat nonprofit work actually looks like day-to-dayThe power of storytelling in healthcare and pediatric cancer awarenessBalancing creativity with responsibility when telling real patient storiesThe importance of workplace culture, mental health, and boundariesLessons learned from real-world experience vs. the classroomThey also share what it felt like to attend Gold Gala and see the direct impact of their work come to life, connecting content creation to real funding for pediatric cancer research.Whether you’re a college student looking for internships, someone interested in nonprofit careers, or managing intern experiences at your organization, this episode will inspire you to step outside your comfort zone and pursue meaningful work.----------------------------------Connect with Dana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaknichols/Connect with Val: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-solomon/Upcoming Ckc Events: https://cannonballkidscancer.org/category/make-an-impact/events/----------------------------------Podcast Produced by Hi Hello Labs: Website: https://www.hihellolabs.com/