My internship with Camino Worldwide

Name: Jaedyn Guthrie '21

Hometown: Tampa, FL

What was your major? Anthropology; Global Learning Medallion Alumna; Public Interest Technology Fellow at the Gordon Institute

Where are you interning? Camino Worldwide, a nonprofit organization serving the Latinx immigrant population of Charlotte, North Carolina. 

What is your title? Public Relations Intern: Content Management and Analytics 

How did you get your internship? I met the CEO and Founder Rusti Price and after learning about my interest in global impact, he suggested I join the Marketing and Communications Department. 

What are you doing there? Content management and analytics for the Marketing and Communications department. In this role, I focus on strategy development and implementation, curation of a unified brand experience, and market research and data collection. Most of our blog is written by me! 

What projects do you work on? I have curated content across five different mediums since working at Camino Worldwide including a blog, social media, merchandise, a podcast and filmmaking.

How does your internship connect back to your coursework? My major is anthropology, which means I study intercultural dynamics. Working with Latinx immigrants has helped me gain an understanding of immigration in the United States, which is a topic we study quite thoroughly in anthropology. I now have a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges that this community faces. 

What is the coolest thing that has happened during your internship? I'm excited about the opportunity to advance within the company. I currently work in the marketing and communications department, but I was offered a position to join the research and evaluation team (once my internship ends). This also relates back to my major and involves a passion of mine, which is mixed-methods research. It is a wonderful feeling to watch your blessings and opportunities multiply. As a recent graduate, I am excited to get my foot in the door and start my career. 

What have you enjoyed most about your experience?  I love working in the startup and social venture realm. I am very involved in Startup FIU, and I am planning to launch my own social venture this year. My experiences in BetaStudio and the UN Millennium Fellowship have inspired me to be more active in these spaces, where I can impact lives in new and creative ways. Impact and innovation are my passion, and Camino prides itself on community outreach. My favorite part of this experience has been gaining momentum in the social impact and startup realm. 

What have you learned about yourself? I have learned that I am truly an out-of-the-box thinker. I love creative strategy and coming up with new ways to improve our services. My work is unconventional and iterative. I have leaned into these aspects of myself much more since I started working at Camino, and I cannot wait to see how I develop these skills over time. 

What advice do you have for those beginning the internship process? I used to be hesitant to apply for opportunities or attend networking events because I thought everyone was going to be much more accomplished than I could ever be. It is difficult to believe in yourself at times. It might sound harsh, but the best way forward is to embrace uncertainty, understand that failure is just another chance to try again and that you must be confident in your capabilities. If you market yourself well, you will find an opportunity that fits you. 

How has the position increased your professional confidence? I feel more confident because I have refined many of the skills I learned in the past four years at FIU. I also know that I am developing a strong network of individuals that inspire me. I draw confidence from them as well. 

How has the internship expanded your professional network? I work with a very diverse and talented team. These are connections I know I will have for life. Being involved in press conferences and working on news articles have linked me to both local and state government officials. Connecting with these political figures has been incredible. We also have professionals with decades of experience in production, media and PR come in and talk to us about career advancement. My network has evolved so much in the past year!