This summer, I was extremely lucky to be part of the PRT team (Partners for Rural Transformation), working as an intern alongside the project manager. Partners for Rural Transformation is a partnership organization led by a steering committee of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). Because of this structure, I was exposed to how different CDFIs work together on the same project. I think it’s very interesting that these CDFIs are all independent from one another, with different focuses and functions. I was given the chance to communicate directly with the CEOs of the six CDFIs, assisting in the documents collection process and putting information together, which was a valuable experience for me. By looking at each organization’s financial reports and products summary, I gained a much deeper understanding of how CDFIs function and how they contribute to improving the lives of people in the Appalachian region.

Besides working with different CDFIs, I also got the opportunity to work with LOCUS, a consulting company that’s helping PRT with its current project by searching and securing benefactors. I sat in their meetings with PRT on each phase of their work and functioned as a contact point when support is needed. I also helped them to schedule private interviews with CEOs from each CDFI so that they could get a complete overview of the different components of PRT. I’m very grateful that all the people I worked with during the summer were super friendly and understanding. When I made small mistakes, my project manager would point them out to me and give me positive feedback once I correct them. This allowed me to learn the most from my experience and grow as a professional.