My name is Kelsey Liptrot, and I recently graduated from Ramsay IB High School. This past spring, I had the opportunity to be a Birmingham Promise intern at Prosper, and then I returned as a college summer intern. Prosper is a non-profit organization that aligns the region and accelerates progress towards a shared vision for transformational inclusive economic growth. The organization’s primary focus is to support people of color and women in their businesses and to advance the economy for people who can work but are unemployed.
During the spring portion of my internship, my supervisor was Aubrie Strange, the fundraising
manager. With her as my supervisor, I assisted in connecting with businesses with the same mission and values as Prosper in order to partner with them and receive grants.
Working alongside Aubrie was a pleasure as she played two different roles in my life. One as a supervisor and two as a mentor. She helped me learn abundant information about what it is like to work for a non-profit and about life in general.
Being an intern at Prosper has brought me so many networking opportunities. I have been able to connect with people and organizations outside of Prosper and make connections I will have throughout college and even after.
After months of working at Prosper, I gained an experience that many of my peers did not get. I have listened to board meetings, acquired volunteer opportunities, significantly improved my networking skills, and so much more.
After my internship ended in the spring, I was delighted when I was asked to return in the summer to start work again. Within one week of returning, I had written a press release and news article, joined meetings, and attended a leadership retreat.
My experience at Prosper has been nothing short of amazing. The people who work here are welcoming, hard-working individuals who strive to accomplish Prosper’s mission. More than anything, however, Prosper is a team. Everything Prosper does is done in unity. Being exposed to this type of solidarity in the workplace at my age has been valuable because it has set the tone for all future jobs I will have.
As I continue my journey to my first year at Auburn University, I have some key takeaways from being an intern at Prosper. One is how to work in unity with others, a skill I will use indefinitely throughout college. The networking skills I’ve acquired throughout my internship are another skill I will benefit from in college, as the connections I make with others are essential to professional success. Working at Prosper helped me to manage my time and productivity levels. Many of the projects I was assigned had no specific deadline; however, it was still up to me to get the job done efficiently and on time.
The most important lesson I believe I got from working at Prosper was the importance of doing what you love and have a passion for. The work done at Prosper is done so well because the people here have a passion for the work they do and genuinely want to see Birmingham become a better place for all. Throughout college, I must remember to pursue what I am passionate about and can make into a career.
Prosper has dramatically shaped my life, and I am forever grateful to the Birmingham Promise for giving me this opportunity. Any future interns at Prosper will have the best experience there. I know that no matter where I go, Prosper will always be a place of reconciliation. If ever allowed to work with the Birmingham Promise or Prosper, I highly encourage anyone to do so, as it will benefit your life for the better.
About Birmingham Promise
Birmingham Promise provides up to four years of tuition assistance for graduates of Birmingham City Schools who attend public colleges and universities in Alabama. It also manages a paid internship program that allows high school seniors to build valuable work experience. For more information on Birmingham Promise, visit http://www.birminghampromise.org/ or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.