by Cara Checchio, student at Clemson University and Together Women Rise’s summer 2025 Marketing & Communications Intern

This summer, I had the incredible privilege of working as the Marketing and Communications intern for Together Women Rise. As the first intern in this specific role, I was incredibly excited to influence their online presence and learn from an organization that is so deeply committed to gender equality. 

From the very beginning of my internship, I was very motivated by Rise’s dedication to achieving global gender equality. Helping women and girls in the Global South has been an incredibly rewarding and insightful experience. It really has made me aware of the many privileges I’ve grown up with and has made me even more grateful to contribute to this group.  

During my internship, I had the chance to support the amazing Communications team – special shoutout to Wendy and Sarah — by completing a lot of behind-the-scenes work. I created Instagram templates, initiated a membership testimonial campaign, and assisted with social media planning to support engagement goals. These experiences showed me how important the role of communications and social media are in developing a nonprofit itself, but also in building a supportive community around the nonprofit.   

One thing I am very grateful to be walking away with is a deeper understanding of gender issues and the work being done to combat them. Learning about each month’s grantee made me more aware of the wide range of challenges that girls and women are facing around the world, and I am walking away with a better understanding on how to educate others on gender issues. I will definitely continue to use my voice to further the goals of Together Women Rise.  

I’m incredibly grateful for this internship experience and to the entire team at Together Women Rise. Each of you was incredibly welcoming to me and willing to support me with my projects, which I greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of such special work. This internship not only increased my passion for communications and marketing but also deepened my dedication to supporting gender equality throughout my personal and professional journey. Thank you all again – I’m truly grateful for this experience and for this organization.