Internship Spotlight: Susan G. Komen for the Cure

NAME: Lindsay Taylor

CLASS: MPSA ’13

INTERNSHIP: Research Programs Intern, Susan G. Komen for the Cure

LOCATION: Dallas, TX

APPLICATION: Not yet posted for 2013, but most likely in March

DUTIES:

Grants Administration – On a daily basis, I assisted Komen’s research grants team in the management and financial auditing of an active portfolio of over 300 breast cancer research grants. I learned about RFA development, the scientific review process, grant reporting and performance requirements, and grantee/customer service. Data Management – I helped design a database to house information on all of Komen’s 2,000+ research grants back to 1982, focusing on data verification. The point of this project was to improve reporting capabilities and to communicate outputs and impacts of Komen-funded research. Organization Review – I interviewed approximately 20 staff members to get a sense of interdepartmental collaboration and workflows. This analysis was presented to my department at the end of my internship to provide potential ways to improve interdepartmental communication. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

Interning at Komen was a fantastic experience for a variety of reasons. I got insight into what working for a large nonprofit would be like and how an organization of Komen’s scale is run. I also got to work with grants and learn how a large-scale grants program is managed; with a portfolio as large as Komen’s, it is no easy feat!

I particularly enjoyed working with all of the grants data for the database. While at times the detail-oriented nature of this project was tedious, the end goal of improving Komen’s transparency and grant reporting was what kept me motivated. I also had the pleasure of working for Courtney Rottman, a Bush School student, who allowed me to pursue skills and interests that were relevant to my MPSA degree.

A drawback to this internship was that I came into the organization at a time when it was experiencing quite a bit of turnover and change, which I believe sometimes negatively impacted morale. However, at the end of the day, it was evident that Komen’s mission of finding a cure for breast cancer was the top priority for its staff and volunteers.

MORE INFORMATION: More information on Komen’s internships can be found at http://ww5.komen.org/GetInvolved/InternshipOpportunities.html. You can also e-mail me (lindsayt11@tamu.edu) or stop by my office (1029).