2024 Summer Internship Diaries - Vol. 2

As we finish our second week here at ICBA, we already have made incredible memories with fellow interns and other ICBA employees.

The workplace culture is vibrant and supportive, and we all have grown to appreciate it even in the short time we have been working here. All of us have begun to grow comfortable in our environments, gaining valuable skills in our respective departments by completing meaningful projects and tasks.

Last week, we reviewed with HR Resume Best Practices and brainstormed other ways to implement professional development learning and workshops during our internship.

We were also introduced to our intern group project, which is for Soles for Souls, a DC based organization that ICBA has worked with in the past. We are extremely excited to fundraise for them this summer, so be on the lookout for more information from us about the chance to donate to a great cause!

This week, we got to hear about Rob’s career history and received his encouragement. With digital and communication experience in various industries, Rob leveraged his curiosity and intuition to research more about the advancing technologies at the time. His story demonstrated to us that no matter the path, the journey you take can teach valuable skills for your future. These senior lunches have continued to inspire us and reassure us that perseverance, drive, and an open mind are key to achieving fulfilment and success in many capacities.

We got to have some hands-on activities helping Malissa Zimmerman, Manager of Political Programs, fold letters, package plates, and seal mail. It was a fun activity to work together and be productive and efficient with our team. We played to our strengths, helping one another wherever we could, and all while enjoying ourselves while finishing the task at hand. Helping in real time, we got to see the care and attention to detail ICBA takes for its numerous members and donors.

Annabelle Pham - HR Intern

About Me:

I am a Vietnamese American, first-generation student attending George Mason University with a BA in Psychology with Concentrations in Industrial Organizational Psychology and Health Psychology. At GMU's Department of Psychology, I am a research assistant on the Youth Emotion Lab, studying family conflict resolution and interventions. I enjoy being a collaborative team member working around a subject I feel strongly about. I have also always been fascinated with human behavior and relationships between others, so I hope to cultivate my interest of psychology further into organizational settings.

One thing that you have learned thus far:

I learned what an integrative role HR takes in the company’s operations. I am able to explore more about my career interests. I was tasked with conducting research behind interview questions and what to include in a website. I learned to understand the time that goes into analyzing job descriptions, postings, and dissecting the hiring process for positives and improvements with the prior background that I had.

Anything else you want to share?

Thank you for welcoming me into ICBA with enthusiasm and kindness. The company values are present in every member and is seen through everyday interactions, collaboration, and business operations. Keep it up, ICBA!