At the end of the day, I go home with a feeling I’ve never had before: I did something important. Now I really want to work in the nonprofit industry. I want to be part of this field for the long term.
Hanley Callahan’s summer internship offers much more than learning on-the-job skills. It is an opportunity to serve others, and that has been transformational for the BSU senior.
“At the end of the day, I go home with a feeling I’ve never had before: I did something important,” said Hanley, who is helping School on Wheels Massachusetts deliver more than 10,000 backpacks to children. “Now I really want to work in the nonprofit industry. I want to be part of this field for the long term.”
A multitasker, Hanley manages donations and volunteer support while ensuring every backpack is filled with school supplies and – the English major’s favorite part – a book.
This is Hanley’s second summer interning at East Bridgewater-based School on Wheels Massachusetts. The organization supports students affected by homelessness and poverty. In addition to backpack distribution, staff offer tutoring and mentoring programs.
As an intern, Hanley is fully immersed in running the nonprofit. She works side-by-side with the staff on everything from loading a truck with backpacks to planning for the nonprofit’s future.
“No work is below anyone here,” she said. “It’s really empowering to be in a workplace with that support.”
Hanley relies on writing and communication skills developed in Bridgewater State English classes taught by Regina Daus-Haberle and Dr. Lisa Litterio.
“Now that I’m corresponding with real professionals every day, it has come in so handy to have those core writing skills,” she said. “I know the different tones of communication. Whether writing a blog post or writing an email or on a phone call, the communication piece is invaluable.”
Hanley stands out as a great communicator who is as comfortable working on a small task like moving boxes as she is pondering longer-term challenges, said her internship supervisor, Barbara Fox.
“She can see the entire picture, and not a lot of people can do that,” said Fox, School on Wheels’ director of community outreach. “Her commitment and thoughtfulness help all of us. ... She is part of the team that literally is making this happen.”
This fall, Hanley will participate in a marketing internship at School on Wheels Massachusetts, a role that incorporates her minor in digital media. No matter the task, she is driven by a desire to help children succeed in school.
“I feel like a piece of something really big,” she said.
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