Hello everyone! My name is Aayushi Soni, and I am a senior at The Ohio State University, majoring in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability with a specialization in Community Development. I’m thrilled to share my experiences from my first week at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center (GIAC). I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Columbus Foundation for matching me with this incredible opportunity and to the GIAC team for welcoming me with open arms.

My first day at GIAC eased me into the 9-5 lifestyle. I started off by touring the facility, which is way bigger than I anticipated. I then set up my email and received the login information for social media and other accounts. Additionally, I met with my supervisor, Sandy Libertini, the Engagement Manager, who will be my mentor throughout the summer. We discussed my objectives, and I couldn’t be more excited about the projects lined up.

On my second day, Sandy arranged for lunch to be catered for everyone. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet the all-women staff and learn about their roles. It was a lovely, informal way to integrate into the team and understand the collaborative spirit that drives GIAC.

Half of the third and fourth days were spent with the pre-K kids at our summer camp. Watching the kids learn and play outdoors was inspiring, and yes, I did get attacked by pool noodles! It was a fun, chaotic experience that reinforced my desire to pursue educational outreach in the future.

The rest of the time I worked on social media by creating posts for various events at the center, like the Worthington Area Art League exhibit. One of the highlights was posting about our center’s first MOTUS success, which is a wildlife tracking system. We tracked our first official bird, a White-throated Sparrow, that flew all the way to Cleveland!

Towards the end of the week, I tackled a completely new task: writing a press release for our upcoming Juneteenth event. This was my first time writing a press release, and it was both challenging and rewarding. I’m proud of how it turned out and am eager to receive comments on it, so that it can be officially released.

Throughout the week, I felt a bit like a pesky intern, frequently popping into Sandy’s office to ask questions or get my next assignment. I hope she doesn’t mind too much! But every time I stepped in, she was patient and helpful, guiding me through my tasks with a smile.

I look forward to the adventures ahead and the chance to grow both personally and professionally. Thank you for following my journey and stay tuned for more updates!