Ronald McDonald House Internship: Reflection Paper

Alexis Kugelman

Department of Health Science, Georgia College and State University

Dr. Kaninjing

April 14, 2024

This past semester I had the privilege of interning at Ronald McDonald House Charities

of Central Georgia (RMHCCGA) located in Macon. Our house was founded in October of 2002

with just 13 rooms, 1 kitchen, 1 laundry room, and 1 living room. Later in 2020, the house

underwent renovations and was expanded, now having 30 rooms, 2 kitchens, 2 laundry rooms,

and multiple living rooms with community space. We provide families three meals a day, with

grab-and-go breakfast and lunch and a hot meal served every night. The organization’s purpose

is to care for families with children who are ill or injured. Our mission is to provide essential

services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need

healthcare. At RMHCCGA, our vision is a world where every family has what they need to

ensure the best health outcomes for their children. While the organization has the same mission

and purpose globally, each house serves families with different situations, depending on the local

hospital that the house is serving. For instance, RMHCCGA is located just one block away from

the Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, so the families staying at our house are primarily

mothers with babies in the NICU or PICU or women of high-risk pregnancies. Considering the

residents staying at our house are vulnerable individuals, the sanitation measures we take must

be strictly enforced and followed. We have volunteers who come daily, who keep up with the

cleaning and make sure the house remains spotless. In 2023, we had 156 volunteers serve,

totaling 3,945 hours of service, ultimately valuing $39,450 in time and service combined.

Description of Experiences:

As an intern at RMHCCGA, I did work relating to both marketing and the operations of

the house. An average day at the house consisted of answering and directing incoming phone

calls, performing guest check-ins and check-outs, and providing other general guests assistance
as needed. As well, every day I would help with necessary cleaning, such as tidying the kitchen,

flipping bedrooms, doing laundry, and other general household chores. My responsibilities

related to marketing included advertising fundraising events, utilizing social media to post

compelling content, and increasing community engagement and awareness. I would also

consistently work on new projects alongside Patty Gibbs, the CEO. Between both roles, my

favorite part was creating different social media campaigns and getting to oversee our different

platforms. Getting to work on social media graphics helped me develop various skills and

provided me examples of projects I’ve completed, which I can showcase to future employers.

The most difficult part of my internship would have to be my original site supervisor leaving. I

was just starting to build a relationship with her and getting deeper into some projects when she

resigned. Furthermore, there was not anyone to fill her role, so it made the transition feel chaotic

because Chris, who is the Director of Advancement, had to step in and take over some of the

projects that she was overseeing. However, Chris isn’t familiar with the marketing and

communications side, so the first few weeks were difficult to navigate. I wish I did less of the

cleaning and tidying around the house just because I feel like it didn’t benefit me from a

professional growth standpoint nor was it expressed in the job description during my interview.

Perception/Evaluation of Internship:

In all honesty, the internship started out differently than I was expecting. The entire first

month and a half was rather slow and made me uncertain for how much work they were going to

have for me. Going into it, I wasn’t aware I would do as much cleaning and household chores as

I was asked to do. However, once Chris became my supervisor, I started to feel more

accomplished and useful. Chris recognized that I was eager to take on projects, so he made sure I

had the opportunity to better utilize my skillset. I started to get assigned more marketing projects
and had the opportunity to express my ideas, which Chris was always supportive and

encouraging of. From there, I was able to develop close relationships with the staff because of

how team-oriented and interactive everyone was. I love the mission and vision behind a

nonprofit, but the work environment is not structured enough for me. As well, I want to pursue a

career that has plenty of opportunities for growth from within and I don’t see that kind of

potential at Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Internship Preparedness:

My academic journey prepared me for my internship at Ronald McDonald House Charities

(RMHC) in numerous ways. I feel that the classes I took over the course of college provided me

with a strong foundation for working with diverse populations. For instance, studying Public

Health has equipped me with a deep understanding of the complexities of health disparities and

the importance of culturally competent care. I felt most confident when it came to interacting

with house residents across different cultural backgrounds because of all the material discussed

in class. An area I lacked confidence in was trauma-informed care. I don’t feel that it was

covered much within Public Health classes but is something that my coworkers are educated on.

However, within my first few weeks at the internship, I got to listen in on an educational seminar

on how to properly deal with trauma-informed patients. In continuation, I think Community

Health and Public Policy and Systems were the most relevant courses in preparing me for my

internship at RMHC. Both these courses deeply discussed cultural competency and the

importance of treating individuals across diverse backgrounds equally. I genuinely do not have

any criticism of what the School of Health and Human Performance could do better to prepare

public health students. I feel that all the currently required courses for public health are

necessary, and all play a crucial role in preparing students. However, I do think the School of
Health and Human Performance could improve the tools available to students for the job search

process. Whether that was hosting professional networking opportunities or holding a career fair

geared for students within the School of Health and Human Performance, the college should

make more efforts towards assisting students in securing a job for post-graduation. I also think

there are other career pathways students in public health take and those should be considered on

the list of approved internship sites. For instance, I know that multiple of my peers and I are

interested in pursuing a career in pharmaceutical or medical device sales after graduation.

However, internships within this industry didn’t qualify on the list.

Internship Performance:

Throughout my internship, I got to learn how to use different marketing and

communication platforms. For instance, I became familiar with Vertical Response and learned

how to send monthly newsletters out via e-blast. I also learned how to utilize Meta Business

Suite, which is a social media management platform that allows you to build and manage your

presence, through scheduling posts, tracking performance, and interacting with your audience.

Another new skill I learned was how to use global branding guidelines, while still putting a

personalized touch, that made content geared towards our house specifically. |When doing

marketing for a brand, especially one that is on a global scale, you must align all content with the

organization's branding. First off, consistency in visual elements such as logos, colors,

typography, and design style help in establishing and reinforcing brand recognition. It also

conveys a message that the organization is organized, cohesive, and pays attention to detail,

which can enhance trust and credibility among customers, partners, and stakeholders. Lastly,

consistent branding ensures that messages are conveyed clearly and effectively, regardless of the

platform or medium used. It minimizes confusion and maximizes the impact of communication
efforts. Overall, I feel like I was very successful this semester and had a consistent, strong

performance throughout my whole internship. I did everything I was assigned promptly, putting

forth maximum effort, all while ensuring I delivered high-quality content. One skill that I feel

like everyone should constantly work towards improving is their networking and relationship-

building skills. Building a professional network and nurturing relationships with colleagues,

mentors, and industry contacts can open doors to opportunities and provide valuable support and

advice throughout your career.

Personal/Professional Insights and Benefits:

Reflecting from the start to end of my internship, I grew from a personal, professional,

and academic standpoint. On a personal level, I feel like I was able to discover myself more and

establish qualities in myself that I view as strengths. This is helpful because I can now use my

strengths as a talking point in an interview and feel more confident about my strong areas.

Furthermore, from a professional growth aspect, I feel that after my internship I was able to

grasp a better understanding of the future career paths I am interested in and the type of work

environment/company culture I want to be a part of. Lastly, the past semester as an intern at

RMHC has allowed me to apply concepts I learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios,

reinforcing my academic learning and enhancing my understanding. Overall, I would say this

internship helped me discover qualities within myself and personal preferences that I have,

which are going to be useful when applying to jobs and interviewing with different companies.

As far as insights gained from the population I was working with, I learned how to better interact

with trauma-informed individuals and how to deliver culturally competent care. The women

staying at our house are often high-risk pregnancies or have given birth prematurely. The

mothers and their babies are both considered high-risk, therefore careful protocol is crucial.
 Conclusion:

In conclusion, my internship experience at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central

Georgia has been a valuable journey that has provided me with a variety of insights and growth

opportunities. From the organization's noble mission of caring for families with ill or injured

children to the practical skills I acquired in marketing and operations, this experience has left a

lasting impact on me. Initially, I found myself struggling with unexpected challenges such as the

departure of my original supervisor and a heavier focus on household chores than anticipated.

However, as the internship progressed, I found my groove, particularly under the guidance of

Chris, who recognized and encouraged my eagerness to take on meaningful projects aligned with

my skill set. My academic background in Public Health equipped me well for the diverse

interactions I encountered at RMHC, particularly in understanding the complexities of health

disparities and the importance of cultural competency. While I identified areas for improvement

in the internship, I believe the experience has further underscored the necessity for continued

professional development and networking in my chosen field. From a personal perspective, this

internship has been instrumental in helping me identify my strengths, preferences, and future

career paths. Additionally, it has deepened my understanding of trauma-informed care and

culturally competent practices, especially in the context of serving vulnerable populations such

as high-risk pregnant women and their infants. Moving forward, I am grateful for the lessons

learned and experiences gained during my time at RMHCCGA. I am confident that the skills and

insights acquired will not only support my professional endeavors but also contribute positively

to my personal growth and interactions with diverse communities in the future.