Intern Profile: Nay’Chelle Harris

 

Over the next two weeks we’ll be highlighting our spring 2017 interns at NCHI. Check back soon for a profile of our other intern, Nichole!

Where do you go to school and what are you studying? 

I’m a Masters of Social Work student at Washington University studying Human Rights and Social Welfare Policy.

What attracted you to Northside Community Housing, Inc.?

There’s a pretty good chance I’ll focus my studies on fair and affordable housing, so Northside seemed like a perfect fit. Before potentially getting too deep into abstractions I wanted to get an idea of how affordable housing development functions in real life, so interning at a place like NCHI was exactly what I was looking for. I also liked the fact that the staff at Northside is small, meaning I get a chance to do everything from sitting in on asset management meetings to attending a grantee training in Jefferson City. Finally, NCHI isn’t too far from where I live, so the commute is a definite plus.

What are some of the things you will be working on during your internship? What do you hope to learn from your time here?

The main thing I’ll be doing is helping with marketing and fundraising. Some of those tasks include starting and running Northside’s new Facebook page, creating content for the website (like this blog), and assisting the marketing and fundraising committee with some exciting opportunities for the upcoming year. Other than those tasks, I’m also working with members of the Ville Collaborative on some fun community history projects. Over the course of the internship I hope to lay a solid foundation in communications and fundraising for nonprofits since it’s a skill that can be used across a variety of job titles. Other than that, I’m excited to learn from Jessica and Mona about the ins and outs of running a community development nonprofit.

What’s something interesting you’ve learned about Northside Community Housing, Inc. or the Ville during your time here?

I think the most unexpected thing I’ve gained is a bit of insight into the world of property management. As a lifelong renter it’s pretty interesting to catch a glimpse into the landlord side of the renter-owner relationship.

Is there anything else that you would like to share that we didn’t ask?

I’m obsessed with the personality of houses in the Ville and other surrounding neighborhoods. I can’t help but love all the colorful and unique pieces of flair people add to their homes.