The Power of Nonprofits: My Summer as a NPIP Intern

In college, it’s impossible to escape the joke about the LinkedIn-obsessed, overly ambitious summer intern. It’s funny because it’s true—all year, students scramble to secure summer internships that will boost our resumes and make for the most obnoxiously brilliant LinkedIn post. But this summer, my internship experience wasn’t about LinkedIn posts—it was about learning why internships should be about impact, not prestige. Instead of seeing internships as mere stepping stones, I’ve come to view them as opportunities to align personal values with professional purpose.

This year, as I frantically applied for summer internships alongside my peers, I noticed an unnerving discrepancy in the number of internships to which I could even apply compared to them. My frustration grew as I closed out of application after application, all disqualifying me with a single word: unpaid. It wasn’t just my resume at stake—it was the reality that financial barriers close doors before many students even get a chance to knock.

Without the financial resources and outside support needed to work an unpaid summer internship, my options were severely limited. Of the opportunities available to me, I could not find positions I was passionate about. It was not until I got the acceptance email from the Nonprofit Internship Program (NPIP) that I finally stopped holding my breath.

This North Carolina program allows college students to work paid summer internships in the nonprofit sector—an opportunity reserved for students without the financial means to work unpaid internships. Wealth disparities impact opportunities for hundreds of thousands of college students in North Carolina. However, through NPIP, I was able to secure an internship in an area that deeply mattered to me, without having to worry about finding other sources of income for the summer. Working at a company full of incredible people creating real, tangible change has been a privilege I don’t take for granted. And, this summer has shown me how so many other nonprofits are powerful in the same respect.

NPIP is possible because of its funders in the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers. The A.J. Fletcher Foundation was the funder for my internship at Book Harvest, which hosted meetups throughout the summer with other AJF interns at their respective nonprofits. From sorting clothes at Note In The Pocket to witnessing the work done to combat homelessness at Oak City Cares, I quickly realized the undeniable importance and power nonprofits have in creating change for society.

But what struck me the most wasn’t just the incredible work these organizations do—it was how little recognition they receive for it. Nonprofits are so often overlooked and dismissed as inconsequential. But the reality could not be more different; they are crucial—now more than ever in such polarizing times. Through NPIP, I wasn’t just given a chance—I was introduced to an entire sector of work that quietly but powerfully addresses the needs that often fall through the cracks of politics.

I study politics. I follow the news. I go out into the world and witness partisan hatred in my everyday life. I know that regardless of political affiliation, misinformation is everywhere, and moral disagreement is inevitable. Yet most people genuinely want what's best for society, despite disagreeing about how to get there. We can all agree that the world has no shortage of problems, especially in a purple state like North Carolina, where partisan divides in state government can prevent anything from happening at all. If we want to make meaningful change as a community, we need nonpartisan institutions that transcend political dysfunction. Nonprofits do so much of this work—it just often goes unnoticed.

Take Book Harvest—an early literacy nonprofit determined to ensure that every child has the chance to read and learn from the moment they're born. Giving kids the tools they need to succeed is not political. Everyone can agree that children are the future, and it is our collective responsibility to help them thrive. Nonprofits like Book Harvest will continue to support educational advancement, despite political stalemates and hyperpartisan mentalities.

But the world's shortcomings extend far beyond education. Nonprofits like Note In The Pocket provide families with quality clothing, empowering those who are impoverished or experiencing homelessness to wear clothes they love and feel comfortable in. Poverty makes life more difficult. Nobody, regardless of political affiliation, actively wants to make things harder on those who are struggling the most. When political turmoil in the government prevents meaningful action to help those who need it, Note In The Pocket will still be providing clothes with love and dignity.

Similarly, AJF interns from Haven House Services and Oak City Cares—nonprofits that provide services to support the basic needs of those experiencing homelessness—showed me even more ways nonprofits rise above political inaction. Despite bipartisan support for policies that fight homelessness, it remains an ongoing issue in so many parts of the state. When policies stall in endless debate, these organizations are already at work providing meals, laundry, showers, medical services, and even housing to adults, children, and adolescents without access.

NPIP interns/supervisors at closing session

At the opening and closing sessions of NPIP, I met interns and supervisors from all over the state and learned about nonprofits focused on all types of important causes. From advancing health equity to improving water quality to promoting economic development, each nonprofit represented a cause worth supporting.

NPIP and AJF didn’t just give me a summer job—they gave me a front-row seat to the quiet, powerful work that nonprofits do every day. At Book Harvest, I saw firsthand how providing books to children is an act of empowerment. And it’s just one example of how nonprofits quietly build a better future, book by book, meal by meal, service by service. Work that too often goes unnoticed, yet touches lives in the most direct and meaningful ways.

In a world where political gridlock can stall progress, nonprofits keep moving forward. They don’t wait for permission to help people. This summer, I learned that’s where real change begins. As I move forward in my own career, I’ll carry this lesson with me: success isn’t just about the next job title or LinkedIn update. It’s about finding work that matters to you, and to the world around you.