In my opinion, to be professional is to show up as the best version of yourself; whether you are having a good day or a bad day, whether you're motivated or unmotivated. To me, this quote means that no matter what work you do, there is always a degree of professionalism required, and this quote has really manifested in my internship. I agree with this quote to a great extent because my internship is somewhat "relaxed" and not so uptight; however, professionalism is exhibited in punctuality, hard work, dedication, communication, and thoroughness. My mentor shows great professionalism by giving her best effort in everything she does and showing up for everyone involved in the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. There may be a stereotype placed on farms that professionalism is not important because, typically, when one thinks of professionalism, they think of business attire and proper language; however, through my experience interning at the TRF, I have come to know that professionalism is much more than the clothes you wear and the way you speak, rather it is showing up as the best version of yourself for the betterment of a greater mission.

First Day on the Job

Surprisingly, I was not very nervous going into the first day of my job, and I think this is because I had talked to my mentor a few times on the phone before I actually went to my jobsite. During these phone calls she was warm, welcoming, and glad that I chose to intern at the TRF. We had already gone over the first project that I would be working on, which would be to prepare for a tack sale fundraiser. On my first day of the job, I made sure to arrive early and look put together. My mentor walked me around the farm, introduced me to the horses, and told me all about the TRF's mission. I was surprised to learn that the TRF relies solely on donations for funding and volunteers for help taking care of the horses. Overall, I had a wonderful first day and knew that I was going to enjoy my time with the TRF.

I will demonstrate written communication throughout my internship by being active on my emails and responding promptly to emails and texts. Making sure to be detailed and professional in emails and texts will be important, as well. Written communication skills will also be shown when I reach out to outside potential partners, such as possible volunteers or business partnerships.

I will exhibit verbal communication during my internship both in person and virtually. When working with my mentor in person, caring for the horses for example, communication is important to ensure that we are on the same page of what has been done, what still needs to be done, how things should be done, and ensuring that I communicate any questions I may have. Verbal communication with my mentor can also be virtual, in the form of phone calls. It is important to keep a friendly tone and be fully present in the conversation. Another aspect of verbal communication that may be overlooked is communication with the horses. It is important to verbally communicate with horses for many different reasons, such as leading them or letting them know where you are so that you don't startle them; thus, verbal communication is important for both the safety of the person, as well as the horse.

Nonverbal communication will be demonstrated by doing what is asked of me and being punctual. This is a way of communicating to my mentor that I am committed and dedicated to the mission of the TRF.

I am committed to improving my verbal communication during this internship by being more confident in what I am speaking about and not afraid to ask questions.

Sacred Heart Has four core values: community, reverence, service, and leadership. These values play out everywhere I go, but especially on SHA's campus. I see community in my own life when I gather with friends or family, and I see community on SHA's campus through the sisterhood that is naturally built throughout our time as Valkyries. I witness reverence in my own life when I go to mass at my parish, and I also witness reverence during mass at SHA. I exhibit service in my own life by doing things for my friends, family, and the community without expecting anything in return, and I exhibit service at SHA by volunteering at different events and helping classmates. Finally I see leadership play out in my own life by taking leadership of my own actions and my own life, and I see leadership play out on SHA's campus specifically through the Jean Frazier Leadership Institute.

I have witnessed all four core values at my internship: community because the TRF relies on the community's donations and help in order to stay up and running, reverence is exhibited for the horses because the TRF believes that all horses deserve dignity after their racing careers, service through the volunteers that sacrifice time and money for the horses, and leadership through my amazing mentor that dedicates so much effort to the success of the TRF and the overall welfare of each and every horse.

I tend to think of my role in work situations to be the organizer. I like to ensure that everything is done thoroughly and in an organized manner, and I have exhibited this at my internship via fundraising, marketing, and recruiting volunteers.

I could be more assertive when contributing to the TRF team by pitching ideas for fundraising/marketing that may not have been thought of yet.