Name: Carolyn Phillips
Age: 21
Year: First semester senior (will graduate December 2016)
Major: Political Science; minors- Nonprofit Studies, History
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, PA
Siblings: Two older sisters, Liz and Adrienne
Pets: “Two pugs named Rosie and Daisy and a Chihuahua-terrier mix named Stella”
What do you plan on doing with your major?: “I would like to apply international relations, human rights, and nonprofit studies into a future career at the U.S. Olympic Committee or an Olympic Organizing Committee. I think it would be really interesting and beneficial to society if the Olympics were tied to social rights campaigns.”
What is your dream job?: “My dream job is working for the U.S. Olympic Committee or an Olympic Organizing Committee. I want to have a part in making the Olympics happen.”
You intern at the Special Olympics, how did you hear about it and how did you go about applying?: “My sister, Liz, recommended that I look into Special Olympics opportunities, so I went on Special Olympics New York’s website. I signed up to volunteer at the 2015 State Winter Games as a trial run, and I also emailed someone in the department I wanted to work in about internship opportunities. When I went to the Winter Games, I loved it, so I knew that I made the right decision for a summer internship (that turned into a year-long internship!)”
What does your internship entail?: “I have been at my internship for almost a year, and it has been a fun mix of many different things. I have helped plan events like the Summer Social, Real Estate and Construction Gala, and our three Polar Plunges. I have also worked on recruiting Plungers and volunteers. It is really hard to quickly say what I do at my internship because like with many nonprofits, every day is a different adventure.”
You’re going to Rio De Janiero this summer to volunteer at the 2016 Olympics, how did the application process go?: “The application process has been very long. I applied in December of 2014, and I was interviewed in October 2015. The interview was actually a group interview on a Skype-like system, which was not what I expected. In November, I heard that I was selected as a volunteer! However, I still have not been assigned a venue or a job yet.”
What are you most excited about?: “I’m most excited to be at the actual Olympic Games and to see all of the athletes and the events. The Olympics are so important to me, and I can’t imagine being a part of something that has been my dream for so long.”
What do you think you’ll miss the most?: “I will probably miss American food the most besides my family and friends.”
What inspired you to want to work for the Olympics? Was this always your dream?: “I have always loved sports, and growing up, I really wanted to go to the Olympics in one of them. I was never good enough at any of them, so I decided to get there a different way. I love the Olympics because they showcase the human spirit. Everyone around the world comes together to compete and do their best, and they inspire others who are watching it to achieve their own dreams. This wasn’t always my dream job. In kindergarten, I wanted to be a bus driver and an artist, and then in high school, I wanted to be a lawyer for a short time. This is definitely a better fit for me.”
What’s your advice for anyone who wants to work for the Olympics or another nonprofit?: “I would advise anyone to try it out. Definitely, start by interning or volunteering at a nonprofit to first, see if this is something for you, and second, to get your foot in the door. It is hard to break into the nonprofit sector without experience, but interning and volunteering count as experience.”
Fun fact?: “Last summer, I volunteered at the Special Olympic World Games held in LA. I was a Fan Zone Volunteer, so I was able to meet athletes and fans from all over the world! It was the best experience of my life so far.”
You can check out Carolyn’s Olympic adventures here!