Staff Stories - August 20, 2024
By Thahia Rahman
In February 2024, as I finished up my associate’s degree at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC), I had no thoughts of interning or even getting another job. When I scanned my school’s listings of local job and internship opportunities, I only saw positions for highly competitive tech savvy jobs and medical positions. With my major in Business Administration, I felt like there were no opportunities to get work experience relevant to my field of study. I kept my focus instead on passing the last of my sophomore courses while maintaining a steady income through my part-time job as a pharmacy technician.
Then, I received an email inviting me to a job fair at NVCC.
Scanning the list of organizations that would be at the job fair, I found one that offered a summer internship that piqued my interest. That opportunity was with Goodwin Living.
On the day of the job fair, I wore my best business casual outfit and made sure to print several copies of my resume, even though I was only going to see one booth. I arrived at the event with my best friend at my side, hopeful of learning more about Goodwin Living and perhaps some other organizations in attendance. My friend and I soon decided to split up so we could each follow our individual interests. As soon as she left, my nerves hit.
I felt so out of place as I looked around the room. I could see people pitching themselves to prospective employers, handing out resumes and networking. I had no idea what to do with myself. Feeling extremely overwhelmed, I hurried to the door. As I made my way toward the exit, I saw the one booth that I’d gone there to see. Two women, one of whom I now recognize as Goodwin Living People Engagement Manager Zoe Marcuse, stood there, with welcoming smiles on their faces.
I felt like I’d hit the jackpot as Zoe described Goodwin Living and its mission to “support, honor and uplift the lives of older adults and those who care for them.” As a not-for-profit, faith-based, senior living and healthcare services organization, Goodwin Living seemed like an organization that aligned with my values.
Zoe then told me about many departments at Goodwin Living that offered internship opportunities. As obvious as it may sound, it completely slipped my mind that senior living communities employed more than just CNAs, nurses and other healthcare providers. Many departments such as sales, marketing, human resources, finance and administration keep the organization itself functioning. I knew then that I wanted to apply for a summer internship at Goodwin Living.
About a month later after submitting an online application, I received a phone call from Zoe. This first conversation was a typical phone screening. We conversed about the different departments and inner workings of Goodwin Living before she asked me a few questions about me and my interests. Considering my intent to continue my studies at George Mason University and pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Business with concentrations in marketing and information systems, Zoe floated two departments for me: administration and marketing and communications.
I’d assumed marketing and communications would be the most obvious fit, yet as I elaborated on my interests, skills and experience, it felt as though I was describing a different department. Zoe also recognized this and recommended an internship with the administrative team in the Executive Office at Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads (GHBC).
Her recommendation threw me off at first. As a student concentrating in marketing, why would I intern with administration? Wouldn’t that be out of alignment with my career goals? Even though I had reservations about it, I was willing to hear more about the administration department and its intern opportunity.
Following the successful phone screening with Zoe, I attended an in-person interview with GHBC Executive Assistant Catie Ramos and GHBC Volunteer Coordinator Steffan Barahona. They asked me several questions about my situation and interests, and what I could bring to Goodwin Living. They also gave me a thorough rundown of the range of work performed by administration offices at senior living campuses.
Catie explained that administration (or admin, as it’s often called) is a pillar of support for all residents and team members at Goodwin Living campuses. Admin not only helps the campus run smoothly, it also has a hand in helping every other department. Working in administration means knowing the basics of how almost every single department works. You have to know what communications go out, address issues that pertain to both residents and team members (regardless of department) and frequently partner on projects that originate in other departments.
I started to understand that administration was very people-orientated and service-focused. Based on movies and secondhand knowledge, I pictured administrative office workers toiling away in a dark room and looking very stressed, usually glued to their computer and going through stacks upon stacks of paperwork. I also believed that administrative work was repetitive and unrewarding, and offered very limited career growth. I could never have imagined the reality until I became a hands-on intern at the Executive Office at GHBC.
Every day of my internship brought new experiences. Regardless of the set schedule, the admin team would have to adjust as new variables came into the mix. One minute, we’d be attending to a call that needed immediate action. The next, we’d be responding to the hundreds of emails received on the day-to-day basis. I would have found the constant shuffle between routine tasks and unexpected assignments overwhelming before shadowing my supervisor, Catie.
Catie had a way with managing her tasks. To put it simply, she was extremely detail-orientated and efficient. She never procrastinated and she always did tasks as they arose. She was also one of the most organized people I have ever met. She had an array of calendars, schedules and notes to keep herself on track.
Her dedication to her job was inspiring. I came to realize that she didn’t just consider Goodwin Living a place to work; it was like a second home to her. Through her work, I was able to see the impact she had on the organization, and I observed the amazing interactions she had with residents and with team members in departments across the organization.
Catie also helped me to meet colleagues. Knowing my interest in marketing, she contacted the marketing and communications department and gained permission for me to attend the weekly “social media ambassador” calls to learn how the marketing and communications team utilized team members across the organization to support their social media efforts.
With the support of Corporate Director of Marketing and Communications Kathie Miller and Marketing and Communications Specialist Timaeus Reed, I took the initiative to be the first ever intern to take over the Goodwin Living Instagram account for a week. This experience helped me further develop my social media skills. I gained more practice using interactive elements on Instagram stories and was introduced to different marketing tools such as Canva, Hootsuite and Hook Sounds. This experience also gave me the opportunity to interact with team members, residents and other interns from different campuses and departments.
Yet, as much as I loved working on social media, I realized that my mind kept drifting elsewhere. Somewhere closer to admin. I realized that my interests were shifting.
Working alongside Catie, I found myself filing, researching, editing and updating many documents. I spent hours working in the filing room, yet it was somehow fulfilling to organize and update document locations and past and present files. It was reassuring to know that when a team member needs resident information, they would be able to find it in the correct location with all the updated information intact.
I found researching and building a letter template to send out to prospective continuing care retirement community awarding organizations more difficult, though also extremely rewarding, knowing that my efforts could gain further recognition of Goodwin Living. Updating the Goodwin Living pet vaccination records for residents, visitors and certain team members wasn’t a chore; it felt like a task that held its own importance and standing.
Interning with Goodwin Living made a big impact on my career goals and scholarly pursuits. I’ve been seeking more administrative roles and internships to expand my knowledge and experience in that direction. I’ve discussed my shifting occupational interests with my college counselor and begun to shift some of my classes towards my specific interests, goals and skills.
I have never seen an organization so greatly impact an intern’s life the way Goodwin Living has done mine. I’d encourage any student looking for a fulfilling and horizon-expanding internship experience to apply to the Goodwin Living internship program. Be prepared for a life-changing experience!
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Thahia (Tha-hee-yaa) Rahman is a junior at George Mason University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing. As an administrative intern at Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads, Thahia assisted the Executive Office team with a variety of clerical and organizational tasks, preparing internal and external communications and providing support to residents and team members. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, spending time with family, watching Korean Dramas and playing card games.
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