Let’s be real. How many times have you heard of the typical internship that entails slaving over brewing the coffee for the office, taking lunch orders, or filing paperwork all day. THIS is exactly what BeCause Water was looking for and received from our interns this summer: a superior morning roast, a Chipotle Burrito, and an epic assembly line of paper filing.
Now try forgiving our crude sarcasm and replacing the duties of coffee brewing with creative concept brewing, lunch orders with executing detail specific tasks, and paper filing with organizing activities for N.E.’s largest “green” festival, and you’re sure to receive a better understanding of what our interns took on this summer.
One of the first discussions we had as a team is how atypical this internship would be. Working for a start-up in its development stage means being a self-motivator, having flexibility in taking on various day-to-day assignments, executing certain tasks that are uncharted water to the company, and enjoying the materialization of seeing an idea turn into an actuality.
BeCause Water couldn’t have been any luckier in finding a summer crew to carry out its mission in developing a company to solve the water crisis. The number one requirement in gaining acceptance for this internship that each applicant received was answering the question, “Why Water Sustainability and why do you care?”
A 4.0 GPA and a high ranking in the Honor Society are impressive credentials, but if that resume conquistador doesn’t share the vision of the company then it’s safe to expect a letter of recommendation as the only driver of the intern’s day.
The team reported into work everyday with a genuine enjoyment and fulfillment in carrying out their respective tasks. Either that or they pulled an Oscar Award deserving acting job in tricking me to believe so (which I can be fine with too).
Meet the summer crew and learn why their internships were far from ordinary.
Suzy Whalen– PR Coordinator
Suzy Whalen is a rising senior at Boston College, majoring in English and Environmental Studies. Suzy has been involved in sustainability efforts since high school in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and hopes to continue this passion in her future career path. Her passions include local and healthy food, running, her family and friends, and traveling. She spent the last semester in Quito, Ecuador and some time in the Galapagos Islands, learning the Spanish language and Ecuadorian culture while visiting and exploring the many different ecosystems present in the country, further inspiring her passion for protecting the environment.
“Sustainability has always been a passion of mine, but working with BeCause Water definitely solidified my desire to pursue a sustainability career of some kind. I’ve learned so much about marketing, business, and water sustainability through this internship: an education that I will be able to put towards so many of my future endeavors. While I have always tried to lead a sustainable lifestyle, and never drank bottled water personally, working with BeCause Water has inspired me to provoke others to do the same and make a bigger impact. I look so forward to taking these skills to my campus at BC for my senior year to truly make a difference on a campus I love!”
Tim Murphy– Copywriter & Editor
Tim Murphy is a graduate of Trinity College with a BA in English Literature. In college he helped manage the blog for an arts & music house on campus. He is a former college athlete and avid fan of the New York Red Bulls. He is excited to be a part of the Because Water team and hopes to promote water sustainability and environmentally responsible business.
“I have really enjoyed fighting for water sustainability with BeCause Water, and learning about the global water crisis. It surprised me how much water I could conserve with just a few simple changes to my lifestyle and a little motivation. I am now deeply concerned with water sustainability and the shortcomings in water conservation in the United States, and I feel responsible for educating people about sustainability. I know that water related issues will always be relevant and that our decisions now affect the future, and I hope that I can be an advocate for responsible water usage into the future.”
Naum Kaluzkny– Marketing & Web Development Coordinator
Naum Kaluzhny is currently a Senior at Bryant University concentrating in Marketing. He graduated Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts in 2009. Naum was awarded second place in the E-Pitch competition in 2010 for his team’s eco-friendly business plan. In 2012, his team received third place in a service learning competition for the development of an online marketing campaign for a non-profit organization. Ultimately he is passionate about helping in local communities while striving to better environment as well as others lives.
“Over the summer, I have been designing and developing the new website for becausewater.com (launching soon). I also supported the rest of the team with producing business cards and flyers in order to further the marketing efforts and to help all members spread awareness for the cause. I acted as a vendor and promoter for the company at this years Boston GreenFest educating the community about water sustainability as well as the benefits of drinking tap water over bottled water. My view on the matter of water changed rapidly over the summer as I learned more and more about the importance of sustainability and doing the individual part of making the world a cleaner and better place. I hope to continue my efforts in spreading the message to local communities and universities during the school year, and will keep fighting for the cause.”
Related articles
- Water for Business Version 3 (sustainability.com)
