Nancy LoGuidice

Professor Manuel 

SPA-391

 

Check-In Assignment One: Organizational Structure and Mission

 

  1. What is the name of the office/organization where you are doing your internship?

I am interning in the Government Relations office of the YMCA of the USA as their Youth Voter Registration Coordinator for 2019-2020. 

2. What type of organization is it—governmental or non-governmental?

The Y is a non-profit non-governmental organization. 

3. At what level of government is your organization most involved: federal, state or local? Please explain. 

The Y is a national organization but works with regional branches and local Ys. While my voter registration work is at a national level, I have been focusing mostly on local schools in Iowa for this section of the election cycle. 

4. What type of governmental activities concern your organization: legislative, executive or judicial? Please explain. 

We largely deal with executive activities concerning voting and education.

5. Is your organization more concerned with the policy process or policy outcomes?

The Y is more concerned with the outcomes, namely goals and programs that align with their missions. 

6. What is the chief aim of your organization/office?

The mission statement of the Y is: “To build a healthy spirit, mind, and boy for all”. My specific job focuses on youth civic engagement and voter registration.

 

Check-In Assignment Two: Personal Place and Mission

  1. Organization: The YMCA of the USA – Government Relations
  2. What is your place in the office?

I am the Youth Voter Registration Coordinator. I report directly to the office Share Services Coordinator for YMCA Youth and Government Programs.

3. What are your duties/responsibilities in this internship?

I’m responsible for working with our national partners – When We All Vote and Inspire2Vote- to assist high schools across the country in voter registration drives. As the year goes on I will assist in coordinating voter registration efforts at YMCA Youth and Government Programs.

4. Why did you decide on this internship?

I decided on this internship because YMCA Youth and Government programs helped bring me to AU and this field. I am also extremely passionate about voter registration and youth civic engagement. 

5. How do your personal goals relate to the organizational goals of your office?

My personal goals are to work efficiently and effectively to help register high schoolers to vote, and the goals of my office revolve around increasing and improving civic engagement. 

6.  How do you think this particular internship will increase your own personal knowledge of political science?

I have always been extremely interested in elections and voting patterns, but I didn’t feel pulled to the chaos and conflict of campaigns. This internship will help me learn more about organizing and advocacy while exposing me to many best practices in youth civic engagement. 

7. What other personal goals do you expect this internship to help you meet?

I expect this internship to help me improve work and academic balance, as well as understand office expectations and functioning in a professional environment. 

 

Check-In Assignment Three: Organization Goals

Internship Seminar

Name: __Nancy LoGuidice___ Date:__Nov 8 2019___

  1. Name of office/organization

I am interning in the Government Relations office of the YMCA of the USA as their Youth Voter Registration Coordinator for 2019-2020.

  1. What are the political goals of your office/organization?

The political goals of the Y revolve around promoting healthy living for the mind, body and spirit by empowering people and providing support for those in need.

3. Is there internal consensus within your organization about its political goals?

Yes, particularly because the Y is such a massive international band, it is imperative that everyone in the movement and in the department are on the same page about what we do and why we do it.

  1. Who is the most influential in your organization in setting the political goals?

The YMCA has a Board of Directors who are responsible for setting the agenda with input from all involved in the Y movement.

  1. Who are your organizations’ principal political opponents and allies? Describe the nature of this opposition and alliance.

The Y has many ‘congressional champions’ who consistently support the Y movement through legislation and advocacy. I don’t think we have many specific forces of opposition, but there are many organizations with similar goals to ours and sometimes it is difficult to convince those in power that the Y is the most deserving of time and resources. Overall, the Y is a beloved organization and brand and fortunately the positive association that many people have of us helps us to achieve many of our goals.

  1. What are the biggest political worries of your organization?

Because the Y is such a large movement there are many departments focusing on many different issues at once. My particular department is focused on youth voice and ability to participate in the political process. Additionally the general overarching theme of apathy and lack of civic participation is one that myself and my colleagues worry about often.

8. Who funds your organization and what particular problems does that present for your organization’s activities?

The YMCA is a nonprofit organization and is funded through grants and donations. I haven’t noticed many issues in terms of stipulations attached to funding, however that might be far above my pay grade. The largest issue that I have seen is the common one for most non profits: not enough money in general. As a result many people have to find creative solutions to lack of resources, and find the best ways to accomplish their goals with a limited budget.

 

Check-In Assignment Four: Your Own Goals, academic and professional

Internship Seminar

Name: __Nancy LoGuidice_______   Date:___December 11th 2019______

  1. Name of Organization

YMCA of the USA Youth and Government Programs

  1. List at least 2 academic goals that you would like to set for yourself during this internship.  Make sure that the goals are specific, measurable and realistic.

I would like to end the semester with a GPA that is comparable to my any of my previous semester’s GPA. That is, I would like to be able to say that while interning 3 full days a week as well as taking 17 credits, my academics remained a priority and I was able to stay on academic track.

My second academic goal is that I would like to connect leadership theory to the real experiences I have had in my internship, and use our studies to guide my adaptation to the workforce.

 

  1. For each academic goal, explain how you will measure it.  That is, at the end of your internship, by what criteria will you decide that you have achieved your goal?

For my first goal, I will measure my success based on where I end the semester in terms of GPA, and whether I feel like I was able to maintain a healthy work/academic balance.

For my second goal, I will measure that based on my reflections and final paper, and see how I am able to apply the tangible experiences of my internship to the concepts studied within this course.

 

  1. For each academic goal, list at least one specific method by which you intend to achieve it.

One specific method I intend to use to achieve my academic goal of maintaining my GPA is to utilize the study hours offered by my sorority’s academic excellence committee. Having built in time to dedicate to my studies is beneficial to me in establishing structure as well as some social interaction.

For my second academic goal, I will do my best to write a thorough and detailed final assessment that connects class concepts to my experience as an intern.

 

  1. List at least 2 professional goals that you would like to set for yourself during this internship.  Make sure that the goals are specific, measurable and realistic.

One professional goal that I would like to set for myself for the duration of my internship is to improve my social media skills. Currently my supervisor oversees all of our social media but has indicated that he might want to give me more responsibility in terms of monitoring and posting. I do not currently consider myself very social media savvy, but I think it’s extremely important to build the Y brand, especially among young people. I would like to feel confident in my ability to run and post on social media without needing consistent validation or oversight.

My second professional goal is to connect with other members of the office that work in different departments and areas from my own, and learn more about the operations of the government relations department.

 

  1. For each professional goal, explain how you will measure it.  That is, at when your internship is over, by what criteria will you decide that you have achieved your goal?

I will measure my proficiency in social media by the number of posts I send as well as insights into our following and interactions.

I will measure my knowledge and understanding of office operations by testing my knowledge of what each staff member outside of my department focuses on, and any specific projects they are prioritizing.

 

  1. For each professional goal, list at least one specific method by which you intend to achieve it.

For my first goal, I will use our branded social media more often and study insights to see how we can grow our following. Additionally, I would like to regularly post on instagram, twitter, and possibly Tik Tok to keep and grow our support base.

For my second goal, I would like to learn more about office operations by making myself available to other staff members for any assistance, or for a coffee so that I can learn more about what they do.