Benjamin Zenner
Marketing and Communications Intern
Fall 2009

This experience with Project C.U.R.E. has really opened up eyes to the many complexities that are involved in running a large-scale nonprofit organization. Through working, interviewing, and just my exposure to the various individuals that comprise the success of this mission, I have realized that there are an incredible amount of factors that need to converge in order to provide this aid on a global scale. My time discussing various issues with Doug Jackson and understanding how he is able to carry about his work with such a calm, very purposeful manner, has been a source of inspiration as I move into the rest of my senior year and my life after college. For some time now, I have been developing this mindset that we have an incredible amount of resources and ideas at our disposal that simply need to be integrated in order to enhance the impact that they were initially conceived to do. Project C.U.R.E. exemplifies this idea through its correlation of all of its different departments who work to raise donations, its operations and sponsors/partners that bring together thousands of volunteers on a national level, and its constant drive to propagate real change in developing countries.

Without my exposure to the infrastructure and methods of Project C.U.R.E., I would not be pursuing in the same manner my goals to create a beneficial impact on our society. I knew prior to joining this organization that I wanted to work in the nonprofit sector but never would I have conceived many of my recent plans if not for Project C.U.R.E.'s fundraising techniques such as their C.U.R.E. Coffee. The allocation of funding through the sale of consumer goods is an idea that I am going to utilize in my upcoming initiatives to not only raise capital for humanitarian efforts but to mitigate our country's gross over-consumption. Seeing how Project C.U.R.E. generates funding and diffuses its message through the media and the internet has also taught me how to generate exposure for causes. Through the creation of a Facebook Causes page and videos (about C.U.R.E. Kits and the volunteer experience), I've realized that multiple avenues of marketing techniques are necessary in order to truly reach the largest spectrum of demographics.

Project C.U.R.E.'s initiative to continue pursuing partnerships with corporations and other entities is also something that I will take from this experience. This organization is obviously highly dependent upon its sponsors and volunteers for its existence and rather than be complacent with our current partners, we constantly push ourselves to seek out more be it from a Catholic church or the US Navy. The potential that we have for continual growth is what amazes me as well as it seems like Project C.U.R.E. has nothing limiting it from achieving distribution and collection centers in every state in our country…and possibly beyond that to places like Canada and Europe.  This determination and continual expansion have definitely inspired me to not limit my goals' potential to become as widespread as that of Project C.U.R.E..  Jim Jackson's story of founding this organization through just one trip to Brazil and belief that he could send back aid without even knowing how to do so is something else I will recall as to not become overwhelmed with my own work. He learned how to do something that he had no prior exposure to through experiencing it firsthand and generating partnerships with people who had the skills necessary to get the job done most effectively.  I do understand that everything needs to initially begin at a small scale like that of Jim Jackson's garage and that is exactly what I aim to do over the next stage of my life. 

Alyssa Westerman
Corporate Development Intern
Fall 2009

My internship experience at PROJECT C.U.R.E. has far exceeded my expectations of any internship experience. To be honest, I was in the market for a full-time job and not an unpaid internship, but my experience interning at PROJECT C.U.R.E. has provided me with invaluable and insightful experience that few jobs would have provided me with at this point in my life.

The following are several ideas and concepts that I was familiar with prior to interning here, but that I did not completely grasp until now:

• Reallocation of resources could mitigate a vast majority of the developing world’s problems. - It amazes me and disgusts me to know that the developed world fills up landfills with things that could greatly improve the lives of others.  Most Americans are so far removed from destitution that I don’t think they acknowledge, or even realize, that much of their waste is what other people would kill to get their hands on.  Although a reallocation of resources would be logistically complicated, more than anything it requires awareness.  Hopefully one day the trash that ends up in our landfills is truly trash, and no use to anyone else.
• Nonprofits can be competitive just like profitable enterprises. - PROJECT C.U.R.E. competes for funds, exposure, and to advance its own cause just like a business fights for a contract or a business partner.  What’s incredible to me is that all of this is for a humanitarian cause, rather than personal financial gains. It’s refreshing to see so much motivation for a noble cause.
• Fundraising is an art. - I never knew just how much effort it took to raise money for even a reputable, well-known cause.  PROJECT C.U.R.E.’s cause seems so self-explanatory to me that is amazes me how much is involved to get money from a large corporation or organization with the funds to spare; it seems like a no-brainer, but it takes coaxing and lots of time, energy, and skill.

These realizations may seem obvious, and they are to some extent, but it really takes first-hand experience and exposure to completely grasp some ideas.  These insights, among others, have reinforced my decision to pursue a career in International Development and have opened my eyes to the nonprofit sector’s seemingly endless sea of opportunities.

Riley Smith
Government Relations Intern
Fall 2009

Upon meeting Joe Miklosi, the director of government relations, I was pleasantly surprised to find that he was kind and energetic.  Though busy, Joe was very supportive and gladly took time to provide me the direction needed to work effectively at PROJECT C.U.R.E.  Within a week of starting, Joe had assigned about 300 pages of reading so that I could familiarize myself with the US Navy Operation Continuing Promise.

Operation Continuing Promise partners the US Navy, US government agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to deliver humanitarian aid to developing countries in Central and South America.  PROJECT C.U.R.E. will be delivering medical equipment to eight countries on the mission, while US Navy and NGO medical personnel provide treatment to citizens, and assistance to doctors in the host nations.

One of my primary tasks as an intern has been communicating with US Navy personnel and other NGOs to compile information on hospitals and clinics that could benefit the most from our assistance.  Whether sifting through seemingly ancient databases or phoning the directors of hospitals in Suriname, the work has been consistently interesting and challenging.

Though the work I have done for the Continuing Promise mission merely scratches the surface of the research and communication I have engaged in at PROJECT C.U.R.E., it has afforded an interesting new perspective on the US military’s role as a force for good.  It has also provided valuable insight into the dynamism of the world’s healthcare needs.