Katharine Shapleigh ’13

Even better than casual Fridays 🙂

How this came about– Since my internship offer at Tuesday’s Children was 4 days a week, I originally thought about trying to get another job to help pay for some NYC expenses. Realizing how tricky it might be to get a weekend job with such a full schedule, I decided to send a few (14) emails to immigration law firms in my new NYC neighborhood to offer to volunteer and perhaps get some more experience! You see, through my HC Spring Break Immersion trip to El Paso, as well as other travels to Mexico, my Peru Semester Abroad, and my time working with Lutheran Social Services’ Unaccompanied Minor Refugee program in Worcester, I became interested in possibly studying Immigration law. A few days later, I received a call from an associate at Barst Mukamal & Kleiner LLP, one of the oldest and most prestigious immigration law firms in the country!

I had a quick phone interview, emailed a resume and writing sample, and, on the first Friday of June, I dressed in my only suit and entered the beautiful Park Avenue building.

What I was not expecting: “Thank goodness you’re here! We have a project we really need your help on!” were the almost the first words I heard from the Associate Attorney. I felt instantly welcomed and appreciated!

Indeed, I spent the next Fridays assembling and organizing a two-hundred-and-seventy-something-page training manual for a novice paralegal, drawing from dozens and dozens of explanatory emails and forms. Meanwhile, I was eager to follow SIP’s advice to ask questions and take in my surroundings. Like Tuesday’s Children, I found myself surrounded by interesting and passionate people.  On my final Friday volunteering, they even offered me a role as a paralegal when I finished school!

While my future aspirations are still uncertain, this summer has made me excited, rather than fearful, of the future. Thanks to Tuesday’s Children and the Summer Internship Program, as well as my luck finding Barst Mukamal & Kleiner LLP, I now have a couple of ideas to pursue!

Until next time,

Katharine

Pop quiz for those who have been following my blog– Which baseball celebrity did I almost share air time with on my second day at Tuesday’s Children? Hint- Mets Pitching Ace…

Now for a question I’ve been wondering ever since. How could that interview have gone better? How can I, or any one of you all, prepare better for our next television appearance? (Geez, this blog has really gone to my head).

Colleen, one of our PR partners at LAK that works with Tuesday’s Children during busy parts of the year, shared some tips with Tuesday’s Children staff. Here are some that are especially helpful!

1. No matter how well you think you know the material, write down 3-5 points you want the audience to walk away with.

2. Make them care. Tap into emotions rather than hard data. For an amazing organization like Tuesday’s Children, it’s hard to choose from all the touching stories that could be shared– Which is why Colleen suggested that each of the TC Staff choose an especially compelling moment that they have witnessed to put in their pocket and share with the audience to show them the good work they really do. It was so great to see all the women in the room share their most touching experiences at Tuesday’s Children– this really is an amazing place!

3. Make it accessible and very much like a conversation. The simpler words you use the better. What would someone (for example, Colleen’s grandfather) want to hear? Not going to lie, I will probably always think of Colleen’s grandfather whenever I prep for an interview.

4. Assume anything a reporter says is ON the record—and will show up in the newspaper.

5. Practice. Tape and watch. You’ll learn.

6. Stick to your guns and take the time you need to leave them with a positive message they remember.

Thanks, Colleen! Now, if I could only go back in time enough to prepare for that Johan Santana press conference on my second day at work! In fact, if only I could extend my time at Tuesday’s Children…

That’s a wrap,

Katharine

“Baby you’re a fireeeeeework, come on let your colooooors burst!”

It’s Tuesday, our day of tourism in Boston, and every one of our 75 participants from around the world congregated in Jimmy’s Brick Oven Pizza is throwing their hands in the air to Katy Perry’s hit song, Firework. It’s been a day full of activities– from a personal address by Vicky Kennedy to our own Flash Mob in the middle of Boston’s Long Wharf. Six days into Project Common Bond, the feeling in the room is unforgettable. Participants, staff, and facilitators jump up and down and shout out the words to the song– celebrating community, strength, and life itself.

“Baby you’re a fireworkkk, come on show ’em whaaaat you’re wooorth!”

For me, this week has really demonstrated Tuesday’s Children’s mission to provide support through the healing process for individuals that have lost loved ones to terrorism. One participant that I met who lost his father in 9/11 said that at Project Common Bond he could finally be himself among peers that shared a common bond of loss.

Let our past change the future.

Youth from conflicts such as Israel and Palestine, Northern Ireland and Ireland coming together in search of understanding, peace, and the restoration of dignity– now form a congo line across a pizza restaurant and laugh as they hoist a smaller Israeli participant on their shoulders. I am touched that their experience of loss has not led to hatred, but to hope for a more peaceful future.

Looking back at the dialogue and laughter shared over the 9 days of Project Common Bond, I am coming to understand the significance of the Survivor Tree at the National 9/11 Memorial in New York City, adopted as Project Common Bond’s mascot. Terrorism– the loss and the lasting impact it has made on their lives– happened. But, somehow, this community continues to live and grow tall– shaping their own futures as peacebuilders. Witnessing this courage and will to do good, I leave humbled and inspired. Thank you to Tuesday’s Children, facilitators, donors, and especially the participants, for showing me the way we can support one another and seek an end to both violent conflict and its legacy through dignity, community, and a touch of grace.

The other Tuesday's Children Interns and I at the Peace Games!

Team Orange repping our team cheer!

Look closely and see our participants "playing it cool" moments before Long Wharf erupts into a Flash Mob!

My Friends from Pakistan model their PCB shirts!

The Sri Lankan participants demonstrate their traditional dance at the Talent Show at the end of the week!

Until next time,

Katharine 🙂

“So… What do you do at your internship?”

“Oh, just some WORLD PEACE. How about you?”

This conversation didn’t actually happen, but my fellow Tuesday’s Children intern Paige and I agree that being part of Project Common Bond, Tuesday’s Children international program and the only one in the world of its kind, is just as close as we could possibly get to witnessing world peace this summer.

Project Common Bond brings together young adults, ages 15 to 20, from all over the world that have lost loved ones to terrorism. This year participants have come from Argentina, England, Ireland, Israel, Liberia, Northern Ireland, the Palestinian territory, Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka, the United States, Algeria, France, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Makes for amazing richness in languages, cultures, dialogue, personalities, and talents. Not to mention an awesome dance party and jam session.

Introducing our new Nigerian friends to fooseball, learning new dances with the Sri Lankans, and singing along while an Israeli plays Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” on guitar have been only some of the many special moments that this community has shared. In a matter of a few days, this group of participants has already formed strong relationships and entered into a dialogue of peace.

I will definitely try to post more later in the week, stay tuned!

Hello everyone!

Now it’s time to time to talk about the other half of my summer so far– LIFE IN NEW YORK CITY! Exploring one step, cab-bike-ferry ride at a time has been quite an adventure, and I’d like to highlight some of my favorite parts right here!

Successfully waiting in Standby for Shakespeare in the Park Tickets!

Visiting the Central Park Model Boat Pond

Feeding the ducks with some fellow intern friends!

Checking out the Resevoir in Central Park on a bike ride!

Exploring the city and its history, aka being touristy, with my family!

Bargain hunting in China Town!

Running Along the Hudson!

Seeing the Mets beat the Yankees at the Subway Series Game!

Ciao for now!

Katharine

ENTER AND BE BOLD.

Those were the words written on the facebook wall. The REAL facebook wall of the Madison Avenue facebook offices.

As the three of us from Tuesday’s Children sat down to our meeting, we couldn’t help but be amazed we were sitting in the office of one of the most important technologies of our time. I was silently entertained when I “checked my facebook” when I was LITERALLY sitting inside facebook.

Our facebook contact, a member of Tuesday’s Children Junior Board, showed us how advertising on facebook could help Tuesday’s Children attract fans–literally “likes”– and how they often provide coupons to fund nonprofit advertising initiatives.

“We just want people to Like us,” one TC staff member said, probably not realizing how desperate that could have sounded outside a facebook context.

Today, I learned three important things:

1. facebook works because of social context. People “like” things because their friends do. You have an 80% more chance of “liking” something if you see that one of your friends has already “liked” it. This is called connections targeting.

2. In facebook advertising, it’s all about that Call to Action. Sometimes, it’s as simple as telling people what to do. Ex: “Like” us to receive a $2 coupon! Oh, and yeah, people also like free stuff.

3. You are putting information about yourself on your facebook page, and there is no legal reason why facebook can’t use this information to market to you. It might seem creepy at first, but after today I can see how it connects people with products and causes they might actually be interested in. This concept of relational marketing apparently goes back even before the internet!

It really was fascinating learning so much about advertising/copy built into new technology. If only I could tell my friends on Mad Men about this! I’m also excited to see how many new “likes” we can get on our Like Campaign, so if you’re reading this please LIKE Tuesday’s Children on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tuesdayschildren!

the facebook wall.

I’ll set the scene:

It is my second day interning at Tuesday’s Children and I am at a press conference with Johan Santana, Mets pitching ace who, together with the Mets Foundation, has donated 20,000 dollars to Tuesday’s Children to help reach the needs of spanish-speaking families directly impacted by 9/11. I am the Marketing and Public Relations intern so I have eagerly accompanied my boss, Tuesday’s Children’s Marketing and PR manager, to the Mets’ Citifield with the hopes of catching a glimpse of Public Relations in action. I chat with the TC family members present and find out that one of today’s speakers not only has my same exact birthday, but is a female professional wrestler! I contemplate a switch in career direction, then decide against it.

The Press Conference begins with Jeff Wilpon, the COO of the New York Mets welcoming us and introducing Tuesday’s Children’s Executive Director Terry Sears. After Terry speaks about Tuesday’s Children and thanks Johan for his generosity, Johan speaks, followed by two latina family members who speak about their positive experiences as part of the Tuesday’s Children community. In order to attract spanish-speaking audiences, half the press conference is being held in spanish and, afterwards, half the media is conducting interviews in spanish– including major US latino television broadcaster, Univision. At this moment, my 6 months in Peru are coming in handy because I can help make sure the questions asked in spanish are appropriate for the younger family members.

All of a sudden, I am being asked a question: How do I feel?

Since I am the only spanish-speaking staff member present, Terry has given me the “OK” to interview– normally all interviews go through our LAK Public Relations contact.

I’m pretty sure I said something along the lines of, “I’m so excited about the generosity of Johan Santana and the Mets Foundation, and what this contribution will mean for the spanish-speaking families that want to get involved with Tuesday’s Children” but, honestly, I was so nervous I blacked it out! It turns out the woman from Latin Post was speaking to me in english– It also turns out my big moment didn’t actually make it into the paper, so we’ll never know my exact words! Thankfully Tuesday’s Children did receive a lot of great press that day (featured below)! AND I have since begun reading Latin Post, a weekly spanish newspaper for the New York/ New Jersey areas (Check it out here: http://www.thelatinpost.com/)!

Judging from my first week, it seems like this internship is going to be a GREAT experience! I appreciate Tuesday’s Children’s confidence in me, and I can’t believe I’ve already gotten to experience the thrill of a press conference– What more could a PR intern wish for? I’m also excited to see Tuesday’s Children’s great work expand into the hispanic community, which I feel especially connected to after my time spent abroad in Peru and in El Paso on an HC Spring Break Immersion trip.

To finish it all off, Johan Santana pitched a no-hitter on Friday’s game. I wonder if it had anything to do with his incredibly clean conscience! Unfortunately, he pitched it against my beloved home team, the St. Louis Cardinals…

Check out some of the press articles from the conference at the links below:

New York Daily News: http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-06-05/news/32060870_1_ed-greenberg-johan-santana-foundation-citi-field

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nlwZBBO9PA

JohanSantana.org: http://www.johansantana.org/news/johan-santana-foundation-supports-tuesdays-children

Mets Today: http://www.metstoday.com/7735/mets-2012-games/johan-santana-teams-up-with-mets-for-tuesdays-children/

Some pictures from the Press Conference!

Con cariño,

Katharine.

As the Amtrak Acela Express floats at incredibly high speeds past the boats and boroughs of Massachusetts, I’m thinking, “Wow, this is the fastest train EVER.”

Admittedly, watching with awe as the scenery flew past me was all I could muster for the first few minutes after hauling and stashing my, count them, six bags and personal items on board. Did I exceed the recommended and perhaps allowed amount of baggage? To that question, I reply with another: How could I possibly not scavenge for free pots, pans, and coffee makers left behind by graduating Holy Cross seniors? And, How else am I supposed to furnish a dorm room in Manhattan for the summer when both my roommate and I hail from St. Louis, Missouri? Geez, hypothetically-critical Self!

Relaxing in the “Quiet Car” gives me the perfect break to reflect on what led me on board this train in the first place, the first days of my roundabout journey from St. Louis to Holy Cross Graduation to Cape Cod, and the adventure that awaits me when I arrive at Penn Station in less than three hours (Wow, this train really is fast!).

After wrapping up exams on the first day of Finals Week, I booked it to “The Lou” to spend a great two weeks with family and friends. With family located as far away as France, we took advantage of our time together by celebrating as many holidays as we could think of at once. Happy Welcome-Home/Farewell/Mothers’/Fathers’/Birth/Graduation Day, everyone!!!! Home was fabulous—my family packed in a decathlon of activities from biking to tennis to golf to baking, and it was great to see my friends getting started with their own respective internships, leading to the inevitably cheesy conclusion, “Awww, we’re all growing up.”

Am I really growing up? My new “working” wardrobe of pencil skirts, blazers and comfortable shoes my mom and I spent so long shopping for seems to suggest it. Watching my Holy Cross senior friends graduate on Friday, it struck me how prepared they are for the trials at hand. Celebrating their achievements thus far and the opportunities before them whether decided or not, I felt in a deep way just how ready-as-they’ll-ever-be they are. I also felt an urgent need to make the most of that one more year I have left at Holy Cross. I think I’ll begin with one of the greatest discernment tools they’ve handed me—the Summer Internship Program and generous opportunity offered me by Tuesday’s Children.

As my Amtrak Acela Express races forward, so do I. Whether you are an incoming or current Holy Cross student, family member, friend, prospective employer, or Internet surfer… Welcome and thanks for tuning in for my adventure!

Out.

Katharine

Holy Cross Graduation! Congrats, everyone!!!

A Beautiful Sunset on the Cape!

Hi Everyone!

Thanks to all my many fans out there on the inter-web, I’m sorry if you’ve been anxiously awaiting a post for the last (yikes) two years! Just kidding, this blog may seem like a continuation of my first-year blog posts you see beneath this one, and well it is the same eager author, but this Blog 2.0 will deal more specifically with my experience in the Summer Internship Program as a Tuesday’s Children Marketing & Public Relations intern in New York Citay! Oh and some things have changed– I’m a Studies in World Literature major/ Peace and Conflict Concentrator and I’m very MATURE. Well, erm, I’ll let you decide that for yourselves.

Hokay, here we goooooo! Welcome to the year 2012 and My Blog 2.0

Okay, so maybe I haven’t made MAJOR progress on what I want to do with my life, but I think I might have made some progress on my Major 🙂

Almost a full year of college has passed (how?!!?) and I’ve started thinking about the classes I’ve really enjoyed this year. And of course, besides just being reflective, there’s always my enrollment backpack to start filling. I just feel like I have an overwhelming array of options– the gift and the curse of the liberal arts education. I think I may want to do a Peace and Conflict concentration, as well as a Creative Writing concentration. As for major, I might want to do Philosophy or Spanish. I also love the idea of going abroad. But rather than freaking out about these  options, I feel like my time so far has encouraged me to explore what’s out there and pick what I enjoy. Also, this summer I am thinking about doing an internship in Communications to help pre-plan an event for World Food Day at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center back in St. Louis. Perhaps this will provide me with some clarity? Who knows what the future will bring, but for now I’ll just sit back and enjoy the nice Spring weather on the Hill…

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Katharine Shapleigh '13

  • Studies: Studies in world literature major with Peace and Conflict Studies concentration
  • Hometown: St. Louis
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