The Q2 2020 intern cohort joined the company during a transformative time. Not only are they the first group to complete their internship entirely in the digital channel, but they are also the first group to undertake a weekly community service project. These efforts differentiate the Q2 internship program; by embracing this responsibility, the 2020 interns are also embracing Q2’s mission to build stronger communities by strengthening their financial institutions.
A new idea
Even before COVID-19 and the whirlwind changes that followed it, the Q2 team identified a group of Austin-based nonprofit organizations for the intern team to support. Fortunately, the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic didn’t impede these plans. As the internship program pivoted to a virtual platform, Q2 resolved to preserve the new community service curriculum in a way that was both safe for the internship cohort while supporting the community.
The virtual solution
The Q2 team identified more than 30 virtual or minimal-contact volunteer opportunities supporting meaningful causes for the Q2 interns to support. Q2 interns are also encouraged to submit other organizations for consideration. Because the program is virtual in nature, efforts aren’t restricted to local nonprofits. This shift opens the door to more opportunities to strengthen communities across the country and even the globe.
Online volunteerism opportunities
Here are just some of the organizations being supported by the 2020 internship class:
Committed to helping people with reading disabilities by offering access to thousands of books
Dedicated to increasing minority and low-income students in STEM undergraduate fields
Promoting hunger-relief in Central Texas
Committed to providing career planning solutions for women in economic need
Tracking bird populations for environmental data and conservation education
Allows older adults to connect with people across the country
Dedicated to engaging young generations in volunteerism and helping them develop into community-minded leaders
Helping employ U.S. veterans and military spouses
Reading and recording book chapters for the public domain
Dedicated to the success of adults with autism
Helps make Smithsonian collections more accessible by transcribing historical documents
Offering language and translation support
Assists researchers by tracking cyclone behavior, mapping the galaxy, and much more
In total, Q2 interns will dedicate over 300 hours to these nonprofits and more during the summer of 2020.
Creating meaningful experiences
One of Q2’s guiding principles is the notion that change is good. The 2020 Q2 internship program has embodied that principle while making the most of unusual circumstances and enhancing learning experiences for its participants.
An upcoming Q2 blog entry will dig deeper into the new virtual program's impacts with a firsthand account of the experience by an intern in the Q2 marketing department.
