Kat's Connections Internship Fund

Dearies!

You've arrived and I am so pumped to have you all here. This fund page isn't for me to gloat, but please allow me the tiny pleasure of saying,"I am so grateful and overly enthusiastic to take part in an internship abroad!"

To help you understand my joy I'll give you a quick rundown of this amazing opportunity I'm able to experience.

Program:
 I applied to Start Me Up.

A selective internship program for elite students to learn and experience startup projects while living in a new environment and working in a diverse culture.

Who:
Start Me Up provides opportunities for the ambitious. Students will collaborate in a diverse environment and build connections which were thought otherwise unlikely.

Let me just say, if any of the above descriptions don't suggest the intensity of this internship, then let me affirm it. Examples of previous interns' universities from around the world include University of Cambridge, Universidad de Navarra, University of Nottingham, Cornell University, UCL, and York University. This internship shapes and builds students looking to advance their skills and personal development.

Experience:
Since this internship is highly selective, it provides amazing benefits to the partakers in the 1 - 2 months of working. Below is an example of sectors I will cross-train throughout my project.

UX
Design thinking
Competitive analysis
Marketing analytics
Email marketing
Business model development
Agile project management
Market research
Social enterprise
Lean startup thinking

When and where:
Clare provides several places throughout Thailand, Indonesia, and Australia, but I chose the latter and will be heading to Australia in June 2018. Note, that's five months from the time of acceptance.

My project:
The startup project I will work on is currently in anticipation. I won't decide which project I will help create until this May. Once I do find out what project, I will update this page immediately. 

Even though I can't give you details on a project, I can provide, dearies, information on the project decision process.

Clare Harrison, an Oxford graduate and founder of Start Me Up, created my personal profile with my skills, strengths, interests, and intellectual test results which she gathered during the application process.

My profile is sent to intern-seeking companies already
in contact with Clare. After a project is interested in my skills, an interview is conducted between the project and myself. If a likeness sticks, then I'll be contacted to work on the startup. I then get to decide whether I want to commit or not. It's a very typical interview-before-job process.If given the option--which I'm told there are typically four options--I can work on more than one project during my time in Australia with multiple contacts to manage.

Expenses:

Let's get real for a second. The reason I need funding for this project is due to the expenses it takes to partake in this amazing opportunity. Like most internships I will not be paid in liquidable value, however, I will gain invaluable experience, skills, and connections just as I have stated above.

To some individuals, paying $5,000.00 US dollars for an internship abroad sounds insane--which by the way, is a lot cheaper than other abroad internship programs. So consider for a moment, the number of interns that need accommodation, coworking space, project support, amenities, workshops, transportation, mentorship, and training in several different countries across the globe.

I'm not looking to raise five thousand dollars. I'm looking to raise three thousand and here's why. I need to work
hard for my opportunities and I don't believe in riding on coattails. Working for my life goals is part of learning and living life. Sooner or later, probably sooner, I'll need to raise money for my own startup project which is for a later conversation.

Dearies, I am asking for your help. I work two jobs, am paying for college, loans, and other bills while attending college. Sounds familiar? #USCollegeStudents #AdultingLife

On a serious note, I am not complaining, please don't read it that way. I am simply asking for your help in advancing my finances so I can partake in this beautiful and amazing opportunity. 

Not convinced yet? Alright, I have a few more points and it starts with me.

About me:
I'll be twenty-four in July, but I can safely say most of my youth was spent in beautiful Minnesota. I have worked many jobs throughout my past endeavors. In my high school and summer break days, I worked for local hometown businesses which provided me with managerial experience on running a business.
One semester led me to a position under the Walt Disney Co. in Florida where I analyzed and worked in this massive company. Throughout college, I've dabbled in different aspects of the hospitality industry such as food and beverage, hotels, event planning, and spas. Let's just say, I know where I thrive and where my skills are best placed in the workforce.

I'm a proud Sandshark studying Hospitality Management and currently in my last year at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort.
This internship is to help me graduate and I do need it for credit, however, I like to challenge myself and learn all that I can while I still have time to build myself before projecting my own ideas to the world.

Future vision:
This isn't an easy thing for me to find. I have one passion and that's to help people. In five years, I see myself in a career working with international relations and creating a small impact on the world.

I haven't fully accepted one idea over the other, but I have different startup projects I've been compiling over the past year that will hopefully take off within the next five years. I won't mention them all, but the one worth truly mentioning is a startup that will advance donation
contribution to global charities by simply accessing consumer and economic behavior.

To make the impact I want to achieve and make even a small portion of the world a better place, I need this internship and startup experience it will provide. 
Put credits and graduation aside for a moment; the bigger picture is our world. I think right now the Millennial generation is trying to build itself up to become the next leaders of the world. To make the world better and help it grow. The generations before us have a paved a clear path for us to start shining and now is the time for me to make a difference and contribute to the vibrant and productive future.


Here is a personal word from Clare which I took from her bio:


"I founded Start Me Up for two reasons: to give young people practical experience of working for startups and to help them get a better understanding of the skills they need to succeed in the new economy. Whether you want to have your own business or you have your heart set on joining an established company, we’ll arm you with the skills and knowledge to make better decisions about your future."
--Clare Harrison,

She has provided this amazing opportunity to connect students globally to build strong connections for the future.

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If you want to know more about this internship I have provided the site: https://startmeup.careers/. Careful, you will be amazed at what you read if I haven't done it justice thus far.

I'll post a video for those that want to hear and see this auspicious twenty-three-year-old asking for money.

Until then, I hope you take time to seriously consider contributing toward my personal growth and advancement that will, in turn, be given back to the world.

Please don't forget to share all over social media platforms with #KatsGFM

I'm forever grateful to you all dearies.

Thank you,

Kat