Do I dance? Sadly, I don’t have the coordination for that. Did I know a thing about ballet? I know as much as the next person- that it’s a beautiful artform that has helped shape American culture throughout the years. I thought I knew finance well enough to help with any projects the team had for me right off the bat. Little did I know, I had so much more to learn- both about finance and ballet. By all means, this internship should have been the most nerve-wracking experience of my summer, yet I found it to be one of the most enjoyable opportunities of the year. Before coming to ABT, I was only certain about one thing- I wanted to work in the financial sector of a non-profit to see how non-profits balanced the seemingly precarious budget, year after year in hopes of starting my own one day. After reaching out to a previous intern about her summer as a part of the finance team at ABT, I knew it was how I wanted to spend my summer.
Although I was disappointed that I couldn’t meet the team in person, greet everyone at the office everyday and experience the live performances myself, the virtual setting actually proved to be one of the best features about this internship. Because this internship was no longer tied to a specific location, I was able to work on other remote projects that I would have otherwise not been able to start. It was also extremely flexible, which is something that I greatly value. Personally, I work best when I can create my own schedule and work at weird (but productive), nocturnal hours of the night.
Through my supervisor, Godwin, I learned how the Form 990 worked. It never occured to me how incredibly complex this tax form for non-profits could be. It made me value even more the hard work that the finance team put in. With every successful company and non-profit, there is a dedicated finance team that closely supports its endeavors with an abundance of budgeting and expense-tracking excel sheets. Without Godwin’s guidance and constant patience, I would have never been able to learn as much as I did. With Talisa, I helped input the payroll for dance instructors for the summer intensive classes. Although I didn’t get to work closely with the other members of the team, I hope I get to meet them all one day in the office!
Despite the online setting, Dennis and the internship staff still managed to make sure that we were able to learn about ABT and the different fields. I remember when Kara took time out of her busy schedule to tell us her story, and was happy to answer any questions that we had about her work and her journey to ABT. I recall the unique stories that each staff member from different departments had about their journey to ABT and their favorite (and least favorite) parts about working in ABT. The strong sense of community and family-like bonds that everyone in ABT forged was one of the most unforgettable aspects of my experience. Thank you ABT!
Cora Wen
Finance Intern
Summer 2021
abtinterns 
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