Hello! My name is Gabriella Aviles, and I am a rising senior at Mount Holyoke College. This summer, I had the pleasure of completing my summer fellowship at The HOPE Program, a workforce development nonprofit organization. The program provides comprehensive workforce training, case management and mental health support, career coaching, and many other services. I found HOPE through the Hope Reichbach Fellowship, a fellowship program that matches New York City College students to nonprofit organizations for summer internships.
When I first began my fellowship this summer, I wondered about the type of work I would do and how I would be able to contribute to an organization like HOPE. Prior to my fellowship, I had never heard about HOPE or the work that they do, and I didn’t really know what to expect. However, my experience at The HOPE program has truly been one of the most rewarding and transformative experiences of my college career.
During my fellowship, I mainly worked with three different teams at HOPE: Employment and Business Services, Recruitment and Intake, and Wellness. As an aspiring mental health clinician, it was amazing to gain some experience and see what my future career can look like. My favorite aspects of my work here include contacting current students and alumni, working on presentations for the Wellness team, and supporting the Interview Project, a program where HOPE offers mock interview opportunities for current classes. These projects have allowed me to connect with the clients of our program, while also helping me to learn and gain skills that I will carry with me into my education, my future career and my life. I have learned about the importance of communication, building connections with people, flexibility, and asking questions.
Something that has really stuck with me during my time here at HOPE is how the simplest interactions can make a real impact on someone’s life. Saying good morning to a client, congratulating someone on their new employment, or even just simply listening to someone’s story can change someone’s life.
I would like to thank everyone at the HOPE program for being so welcoming and guiding me during my time here. I would especially also like to thank my supervisor, HOPE Executive Director Tracey Capers, for her support and mentorship, and the Hope Reichbach Fellowship for connecting me to The HOPE program.
