I interned at BRAVO! in 2013 during the fall semester of my junior year in college. I was part of a program called The Washington Center that paired me with BRAVO! based on my career interests and what I wanted to do while in DC for that semester.
I currently work with BAE Systems coordinating trade shows within our Electronic Systems sector. I oversee the planning, execution, and evaluation of several shows we participate in within the defense industry.
There are too many great memories to possibly count! Nancy and the BRAVO! team taught me so much about my career as well as myself. One of my favorite memories / activities when I was with BRAVO! was working on the different vlogs with my coworker Kristin. I learned a whole different skill set by doing this and had so much fun in the process! Imagine watching a blooper reel but in real time. HA!
I fully believe that had it not been for working with Nancy and the BRAVO! team I wouldn’t be where I am now. This was my first internship which sparked my interest in events and Nancy helped me to understand all the different avenues the event industry could take me. After my internship with BRAVO! I tailored every internship moving forward to be with a different type of vendor partner within the industry until I got a firm grasp on what area I wanted to work in. Every single interview I’ve had, I’ve referenced scenarios that I had been in with BRAVO! which has helped me land other internships as well as my current job. While some of my friends struggled through internships where they were simply going on coffee runs and making copies, BRAVO! gave me the opportunity to get real, hands-on experience and I’m so incredibly grateful to Nancy and the team for giving me that opportunity since not everyone would be so trusting of an intern’s capabilities or willing to take the risk.
One of my favorite events that I worked on while at BRAVO! was the NYSCF’s annual fundraiser. It was through this event, along with the AKF’s Hope Affair, that I learned that I could put my passion and talent to use for the greater good. I knew back then I was never going to be the person that would become a researcher with the mind to cure cancer or anything like that; however, the BRAVO! team showed me that I could use my talents of planning a kick ass event to support the people who could do that. It’s my way of contributing to the world and something I think about every day while I’m working.
Another way BRAVO! has impacted me is that I’ve learned what a great leader looks like and how important it is. I bounced around to a few different places before landing on my current position and I’ve always compared my leadership to Nancy. I’ve learned that not everyone has the respect of their team and part of what makes BRAVO! so excellent is the fact that Nancy not only has the respect of her team and clients, but treats everyone like they are family. As cliché as that sounds, it’s the honest truth and I think that’s a huge part of why I loved working for BRAVO! so much.
Overall – for anyone trying to decide, you can’t choose a better internship site than BRAVO! Events by Design. Thank you Nancy and the BRAVO! team for everything you’ve done for me, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you