This summer, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is excited to have several interns with us who are learning the ins and outs about what we do. To learn more about them and what they do here, throughout the summer, we’ll be featuring a Q&A series with each of the interns and today, let’s learn about Jenny Davenport.
Jenny Davenport is a graduate student at NYU pursuing a degree in fundraising. A Virginia native, she is spending her summer through the fall working as an intern in the Special Events department at the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Get to know Jenny a little bit better with our Four Questions For An Intern.
Thea Glassman: What made you interested in fundraising?
Jenny Davenport: I decided I wanted to do event planning halfway through my undergrad degree at University of Mary Washington. After working in the Office of Events on my campus, I knew I wanted to do it specifically with nonprofits. I majored in Business and Sociology and this seemed like the perfect combination of the two.
TG: What is a typical day for you at the Michael J. Fox Foundation?
Since joining MJFF, I’ve been assisting with planning related to our upcoming events, Breaking PAR and A Funny Thing Happened on the way to Cure Parkinson’s. I’ve been working on spreadsheets to keep track of all donations for Breaking Par, making sure they are recorded so that donors are acknowledged for their gifts. I also help coordinate the outreach and contact information for different attendees of the events, whether it be guests, sponsors, or talent. Other projects I’ve worked on since joining the Development team include sending out mailings, creating event nametags, reviewing and evaluating survey responses to create overview documents.
TG: What is one random fact about you?
JD:I used to live in Japan when I was little because my dad was in the military and was stationed there. We went to Guam and Singapore…my family traveled everywhere.
TG: What do you think you will take away from working at the Michael J. Fox Foundation?
JD:I have learned about databases and understanding how important those are for keeping track of donors. Also, you don’t realize how many small details go into planning a large event.
Interested in an internship with the Foundation? The Foundation is always looking for smart, determined individuals who would like to participate in an internship with us. As a result, resumes can be submitted to the Foundation throughout the year. To view current openings and to apply, visit our Careers page.