Intern Spotlight: Marty Josephson

By Sharon Svec

Marty Josephson is a student at Clark College and intern at YWCA Clark County. As part of her Administrative Assistant degree, Marty is required to take a minimum of 6 credits for BTEC 199-Cooperative Work Experience. The class description calls for, “supervised on-the-job work experience in an approved job in the local community with specific learning objectives and employer evaluation.” Marty found the perfect fit at YWCA Clark County.

Ultimately, she wants to work at an organization that aligns with her values and helps the community. When she saw the Y table at Saturday in the Park, she knew it was the place for her, “I’ve had some unfortunate situations throughout my life and have had nobody to count on. So when I saw some of the things the Y did, I thought it was important for me to be a part of that.” She’s currently in her 2nd quarter of interning as an administrative assistant and is hopeful to return for one more quarter of on-the-job work experience.

Marty, hard at work.

Since she began, Marty has had a range of experiences to learn from. She has worked with Accounting, SafeChoice, and the Department of Development and Communications doing tasks such as file management, formatting large documents, creating powerpoint presentations and implementing website revisions. Marty said she finds the experience gratifying, “When you go to a job or to school and you feel like you just don’t want to go in, then you know you shouldn’t be there. I never feel that way. I look forward to coming here.” Y staff feels just as thrilled about working with Marty. Grant writer, Megan Dixon stated, “After our first meeting, it was obvious that she has a true passion for helping others and giving back to our community. Her blend of cheerfulness and capability make her a joy to work with.”

YWCA Clark County is dedicated to making every experience empowering, not only for those they serve, but also for the staff, volunteers and interns who work so hard to keep the organization functioning at optimum capacity. “It’s really important to me that interns feel like they’re gaining something from the experience as well, which is why I encourage supervisors to help interns set professional development goals and provide consistent feedback on how they are progressing toward those goals,” said Stephanie Barr, Director of Volunteer Development who serves as an ambassador for interns and volunteers.

Whether you are or are not a student, if you’re interested in expanding your skill set and working in an empowering environment that serves the community, YWCA Clark County may be the place for you. Take it from Marty, who said, “I think YWCA has a very good understanding of internships, and helping people succeed in their life and on the job.”

To learn more about internships at YWCA Clark County visit our website, or contact Stephanie Barr at 360 906 9112 or sbarr@ywcaclarkcounty.org.