Student Spotlight: Emily Newton

Sport Management major Emily Newton interned at Donate Life NC, a nonprofit responsible for promoting of organ donation across North Carolina. During her internship, Newton explored many areas of working in a nonprofit, including marketing, research, writing and presenting to the Board of Directors. Since Donate Life NC does not have a physical office location, Newton completed her work remotely, which she found extremely helpful in developing her time management and technology skills, which she feels is important in today’s workforce.

How did this experience impact you?

I received a liver transplant when I was 16. Since then, I have been trying to give back and spread the word about how important organ donation is. This internship was incredibly impactful for me. I spoke to many other transplant recipients and knew that the work I was doing was worthwhile and could help save lives. One person being an organ donor can save up to 8 lives.

What did you learn about yourself from this experience?

I learned that I am extremely passionate and my passion motivates me to do the best work that I can. I also learned that I work well when I can be both creative and work with a team. I also discovered that I am a good communicator, which was vital when working remotely.

How has this experience prepared you for your future career?

I believe this internship gave me incredible experience for my future career. In an extremely technological world, working remotely and having to communicate mostly through technology prepared me for any job that I will have in the future. Working in so many different aspects of this organization showed me my strengths and some of my weaknesses which is also very valuable.

Any advice to incoming students?

The College of Natural Resources does a great job of helping you learn to work in teams. It also requires an internship for a semester or summer, which means 400 hours of valuable work experience. This is an incredible requirement because it gives you a lot of time to experience the work force and learn your strengths and weaknesses in a professional setting.

What do you enjoy most about being a College of Natural Resources student?

I enjoy the laid-back atmosphere, the community and the attentiveness of my professors.