By Weichin Lin, Customer Experience Intern
This summer internship at the Pension Boards-United Church of Christ (PBUCC) has far exceeded my expectations. Despite being a relatively small organization, the level of planning, accommodation, and genuine friendliness matches that of any larger company. I am thrilled with my decision to choose this internship, as it has provided me with a well-rounded and enriching experience.
As a Customer Experience Intern for the Member Services team, I was assigned several tasks, including analyzing past termination and enrollment reports for our members, studying churn rates, designing and implementing a system to organize the Shared Drive, and researching the complaint management system. While some of these tasks utilized my prior experience and skills, others required me to seek assistance from fellow team members. I am grateful for the incredible support I received from everyone in the team, particularly my manager, Gregory Exavier, who went out of his way to ensure my internship was fulfilling.
Beyond working with the Member Services team, the Capstone project added meaningful purpose to my internship. It allowed me to explore the different aspects of faith and financial insecurities experienced by our members that I would not have had the chance to encounter otherwise. Conducting research, brainstorming solutions, and engaging with real people to find an open-ended resolution provided me with a unique consulting experience and invaluable learning opportunities. Knowing that this project will contribute to PBUCC's efforts to help clergy secure their financial future is itself is a great reward.
One of the most valuable takeaways from this internship was the general learning experience. I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the weekly leadership roundtable sessions and lunch and learning sessions with staff. These opportunities allowed me to interact with the CEO of the Pension Boards, Brian R. Bodager, to learn about all the functions of the organization, and hear personal stories of how the staff found their calling at the Pension Boards. I will genuinely miss these events, not to mention the fantastic lunches we shared!
Without a doubt, I have no regrets about taking up this internship. It was a perfect fit for my summer, and I am eager to see what the last few weeks have in store. I am grateful for the knowledge and experience I have gained during my time at PBUCC, and I look forward to applying these lessons to my future endeavors.