Summer at LIFT and the City

A major attraction to Fordham for me was the fact that it’s so close to Manhattan. This provides an endless amount of opportunities—academic, social and professional! Since Manhattan is just a short train ride away, The Bronx is sometimes overshadowed by this bustling city. The Fordham community itself is an excellent hub of rich opportunities. This past summer, in fact, I had one of the most rewarding experiences of my life right here in the Bronx.

Just three short blocks down Belmont Avenue, is a non-profit organization called LIFT, the place that I interned at this past summer. LIFT has the ambitious goal of “lifting people out of poverty for good”. People in the Bronx community utilize its service to help with things like finding jobs, finding a place to live, and learning how to live on a strict budget. Everyday I got to meet with these community members, help them with whatever they needed, and learn a ton in the process. What first drew me to this internship was the convenience of being able to walk to work in less than five minutes.

Other than the rewarding work itself, interning at LIFT came with plenty of benefits. I got to work every day with an amazing group of people who I wouldn’t have otherwise met at Fordham. My fellow interns commuted to LIFT from all over New York, including Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn, and Washington Heights. We bonded outside of the office and would make fun trips together into Manhattan on the weekends. My favorite day was the one we spent at the American Museum of Natural History. This iconic museum is right across the street from Central Park, which allowed us to grab food from a street truck and eat on the green grass of the Park after touring the museum.

A couple of my coworkers, Caralie (middle), Laura (right), with me at the American Museum of Natural History

All of the Bronx interns in front of an Aztec exhibit at the AMNH

Central Park is such a beautiful place to have lunch, hang out with your friends, take a walk, or just breathe in the fresh air.

Interning at an organization like LIFT was such a great way to gain valuable experience while really giving back to my community. Fordham is located in one of the most culturally rich and diverse places in New York, and I am so grateful to have been able to better connect to it this summer. Walking around outside the gates of Fordham, I now feel more connected to the place I live, and I sometimes even see familiar faces! You can apply to places such as LIFT no matter what degree you are pursuing at Fordham. The Bronx really does have so much to offer!

Blog By: Abby Collins