Catholic Charities is a non-profit organization, whose mission is to bring hope, resources, and advocacy to the poor and most vulnerable among us regardless of faith, race, marital status, or condition in life. Their activities are based upon the fundamental belief in the dignity and sanctity of human life and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. They serve as the professional social service arm of the Archdiocese of Portland. I was fortunate to find the organization through the Faith Based Leadership Program at the University of Portland.
As an Administration Intern, I supplied support to different departments, such as Finance and Human Resources, within the Catholic Charities agency. I attended several budget meetings to gain insight on how different programs submit their budgets to the Finance team and how they work out any concerns that they have. In addition to meetings, I was tasked with processing background checks and reaching out to program contact personnels for volunteer applications.
My internship experience has definitely exceeded my expectations. Although many accounting students, like myself, go through fall recruiting, I think this internship experience will help diversify my resume and make me stand out. I have attended several budget meetings that have allowed me to experience a glimpse of non-profit accounting. Some may think that I am in a small, casual non-profit, but I have learned how to conduct myself in a professional environment, practice good business attire, and learned the ins and outs of the office life. Prior to this experience, I had minimal experience with working in an office/professional environment, and now, I can admit that I know how to effectively and correctly use a copy machine to print hundreds of pages, a skill that some often take for granted.
With two weeks left, it was definitely a worthwhile experience. I’ve met great people and learned a lot. Ranging from finance meetings to filing paperwork for Human Resources, I’ve learned so much about the office life. But Catholic Charities isn’t just about the office. Each background check I process is a volunteer who wants to makes a difference in people’s lives. Each budget meeting helps to lay out the resources that the organization uses to help people. Each 
employee there is part of an organization whose purpose is to serve others. Some days walking into their building, I see people seeking help and because of this organization, there is someone there, ready and willing to.
What were you most nervous about before starting your internship?
Honestly (and this may lead some of you to chuckle), it was the commute to work. I seldom take the bus, and coming from a small island, 30 minutes in a car is long enough. However, with this internship, I had to take a bus every day for a “little over an hour” to commute to Southeast Portland. I can tell you this; I was definitely late a few times for work. But being in this Faith Based Leadership Program, it taught me to reflect a certain Leadership Habit, which was resilience. Despite the long commute, the orientation to regular public transit, and waking up a little early, it was a good experience to have under my belt. I do admit the first week was tough, but as each day went on, the trek to work and back home, seemed a little shorter every day. Also, these last few weeks, I was able to carpool with my friend who is a UP alum! Go Pilots!
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Maverick Tolentino, Senior
Accounting