How Internship Is Giving Young Women a Real Way to Make a Difference

Lexi Sundquist’s excitement is obvious when she talks about joining Tuuti’s OnBrand Internship programme this summer. ‘I am beyond excited for this opportunity,’ she says. ‘Working with Tuuti thus far has been very inspiring, and I have already learned so much. Everyone on the team is so welcoming and eager to share their knowledge and expertise with us to set us up for the most success.’

What stands out isn’t just her enthusiasm – it’s the genuine mentorship and community focus she describes. Too many young people complain about internships that feel more like glorified coffee runs, but Sundquist’s experience hints at something different happening at this Boise-based women-owned creative communications agency.

Why Internships Need to Be More Than Busywork

Too many internships leave students feeling disconnected from meaningful work. They file papers, sit in meetings they don’t understand or get stuck with projects that seem to exist just to keep them occupied. Research shows that hands-on internships significantly improve career outcomes for young women by providing practical experience that enhances job readiness and boosts confidence – but only when the experience feels genuine.

Tuuti’s approach stands in sharp contrast to this typical model. Their interns don’t just observe – they lead actual projects supporting real local nonprofits. This year’s team is working on brand strategy, social media campaigns, event planning and public relations for community organisations that depend on their efforts to reach people who need their services.

The difference matters because young women especially benefit from work-based learning that connects to something larger than corporate profit margins. When interns can see their campaigns helping local families access food pantries or supporting women escaping domestic violence, the skills they’re learning take on deeper meaning.

Experience That Sticks

Last year’s intern team shows exactly what this hands-on approach can accomplish. They developed the ‘Tag, You’re It!’ social media campaign for the Women’s and Children’s Alliance shelter – a creative effort designed to engage Boise residents and raise awareness about the organisation’s food pantry.

The results were tangible: the campaign reached nearly 3,000 accounts and helped drive donations for the organisation. The interns gained experience running campaigns that had real consequences, learning to balance creativity with strategy and understanding how to measure success in ways that matter to the community.

These aren’t the kinds of skills you pick up from textbooks or hypothetical case studies. They come from wrestling with real budgets, actual deadlines and genuine stakeholders who are counting on your work to help vulnerable people in your city.

Skills That Transfer

The programme teaches interns to think like professionals from day one. They learn brand strategy by working with nonprofits to clarify their messaging. They develop social media expertise by creating content that needs to actually perform – not just look nice in a portfolio.

This comprehensive approach mirrors what female empowerment internship programmes have found works best: combining practical skills development with meaningful social impact work that helps young women build both competence and confidence. Like students at Fordham’s tech conference, these interns gain real-world experience that shapes their professional identity.

From Intern to Mentor

Perhaps the most telling sign of the programme’s effectiveness is Camille Teats’ story. She participated in the 2024 OnBrand Summer Internship and gained so much from the experience that she’s returned this year as a mentor, now working as PR and Events Specialist at Tuuti.

‘Being able to support this year’s internship team is incredibly rewarding,’ Teats explains. ‘I started as an intern myself, so I know how transformative this experience can be. These talented interns are already bringing fresh perspectives and energy to the table, and I’m excited to help them grow into confident, capable professionals.’

This model of former interns returning as mentors creates what mentorship research identifies as particularly effective – peer-to-peer guidance that builds continuity and shared experience. When mentors have recently walked the same path, they understand both the challenges and opportunities in ways that traditional supervisors might miss.

Teats’ return also shows something crucial about the quality of the experience. People don’t typically want to recreate programmes that left them frustrated or underutilised. Her enthusiasm about guiding new interns suggests the 2024 programme genuinely prepared her for professional success.

The Impact on Community and Interns

The dual benefit of Tuuti’s approach becomes clear when you look at what both sides gain from these partnerships. Interns develop skills and confidence through projects that demand real professional abilities. Meanwhile, local nonprofits receive sophisticated campaign support they might not otherwise afford.

The WCA campaign’s statistics – reaching 3,000 accounts and driving donations – represent concrete value for an organisation serving vulnerable families. For a food pantry that depends on community awareness and support, that kind of reach can translate directly into resources for people who need them.

Working with nonprofits teaches interns about stakeholder management, community engagement and the complexity of social problems. They learn that effective communication requires understanding your audience’s values, constraints and motivations – skills that transfer to any professional context.

Research suggests that programmes combining mentorship with meaningful work achieve significantly higher engagement and retention rates. Participants in well-structured mentorship programmes show 72% retention compared to 49% for non-participants – numbers that reflect both the quality of the experience and its lasting impact on career development.

Building Something Sustainable

Shawnda Huffman, Tuuti’s founder and CEO, sees the internship programme as central to the agency’s mission. ‘Our internship programme is a living reflection of what we believe in at Tuuti Agency,’ she explains. ‘Investing in people, showing up for the community and making space for bold, fresh ideas – that’s exactly what we’re about.’

Huffman’s perspective reflects a broader understanding of how women-owned businesses can create opportunities that extend beyond their immediate commercial interests. Since launching in 2023, Tuuti has earned recognition including three Silver Rockie Awards from the Boise Advertising Federation, establishing credibility that makes their internship programme more valuable for participants.

The agency’s commitment to empowering women and supporting local community creates a natural alignment between business success and social impact. Like other female leaders making a difference, Huffman shows interns that professional purpose and community service can work hand in hand.

Looking Ahead to August

This year’s OnBrand Internship Programme runs through early August and will conclude with a showcase highlighting the interns’ nonprofit project and contributions to the agency. For Sundquist and her fellow interns, the approaching deadline represents both challenge and opportunity – a chance to demonstrate what they’ve learned and created during their time with Tuuti.

The showcase format matters because it requires interns to articulate their work’s value to an audience that includes both professional peers and community members. This kind of public presentation develops communication skills while creating accountability for meaningful results.

The August showcase represents a celebration of concrete achievements rather than theoretical learning. When young women can point to specific campaigns they’ve led, donations they’ve helped generate and community connections they’ve strengthened, they carry forward evidence of their capabilities that extends far beyond a line on their CV.

For Boise’s nonprofit community and the young women joining Tuuti’s programme, that combination of practical skills, genuine mentorship and meaningful impact offers something increasingly rare – an internship experience that actually prepares participants for the work they want to do while making their community stronger in the process. Just as Tracy Drost champions youth philanthropy, these young women are discovering how their professional development can serve a greater purpose.