Rachel, Regina, and Arian, three students from Macau University of Science and Technology, embarked on their J-1 internship* journey in New York at the Flushing YMCA and Jamaica YMCA.

*The J-1 internship is one of 15 programs offered within the Department of State's Exchange Visitor Program, facilitated through designated visa sponsors. Angelia is a participant in the CCIP Internship in NYC, and their program is administered by FUSIA, a designated sponsor for the J-1 internship.

When they applied for the internship, they were first-year students who hadn't even declared their majors yet. Despite their lack of experience, they were eager to gain exposure to various fields and were excited about the opportunity to work at the NYC YMCA, specifically at the Flushing and Jamaica locations.

The Flushing and Jamaica YMCA are both part of the NYC YMCA network, one of the largest Y networks in North America. What made their internship special was the chance to rotate between two different locations that catered to different ethnicities. Moreover, due to the size of each organization, they had the opportunity to sample various departments, providing them with insights into how a professional nonprofit organization operates. This exposure also allowed them to engage with people from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities.

On the first day, Tiffany Dunbar, the Executive Director of the Flushing Y, provided them with a thorough walkthrough of the operations. Then, Gloria Messam, the Assistant to the Executive Director and Fundraising Development Specialist of the Jamaica Y, along with Sabrina Scott, Membership Sales Engagement and
Healthy Lifestyles Director, guided them through different areas, allowing them to shadow various aspects of the organization.

Rachel, who majors in tourism, particularly appreciated the opportunity to interact with members from different cultural backgrounds, which enriched her understanding of diverse perspectives. "It was truly an eye-opening experience! I had the opportunity to interact with individuals from different cultural backgrounds, enriching my understanding of diverse perspectives," she said. She added, "My parents always encourage me to try different things, and I really appreciate this experience. I believe I made the most of it."

Each J-1 intern is provided with a comprehensive training plan called Form DS-7002, which outlines essential information about the host organization and the objective activities of their internship. The plan consists of two phases: the introductory phase, which is dedicated to familiarizing them with the environment, and the implementation phase, where they actively rotate between different departments to gain a holistic view of nonprofit organization operations.

The rotations allowed them to get an idea of how each site works. Regina, who is majoring in journalism and communications, found the experience to be highly educational. "It was really enlightening to see how each department efficiently collaborates and communicates with each other to create something bigger," she shared.

Aria, a rising sophomore majoring in computer science, shared her thoughts on the internship experience, saying, "The colleagues were extremely friendly and patient with us." She advised future interns to approach their journey with an open mind, as they are likely to encounter diverse situations and circumstances. Despite not having an extensive technical skill set, Aria's supervisor assigned her a project that involved using Access to analyze membership data. This opportunity provided her with valuable experience she could add to her resume and allowed her to apply her learning to practical situations.