By: Meredith Manley, Amherst College ’18

I woke up at 8:00am this past Monday morning. Not only was it a Monday (ugh!), but I was entering my last week of winter break. This day marked the end of sleeping-in, hours of watching TV, and my attire consisting solely of sweatpants and sweatshirts. Beginning my week-long internship at reSET was icing on the cake. I get to spend my last week of freedom surrounded by stuffy business people from 9-5. Oh joy… Only now do I realize how sadly mistaken I was.

I entered the reSET office at 10am later that Monday morning (quite punctually I might add) to meet an incredible group of individuals, who together, make up the reSET team. The atmosphere and culture that has been cultivated here is something that is unparalleled and unique and is made possible primarily because of this diverse team. Their energy, vibrancy, and passion are continually echoing within the reSET walls and those of the surrounding community. These are the first things you’ll notice once stepping foot into this unorthodox office space. Constantly being surrounded by youthful and enthusiastic employees allowed me to take away a refreshing perspective on the business world, one which was not as intimidating and uneventful as my previous one.

My week consisted of sitting in on a number of different meetings, staff and client alike, creating excel spreadsheets for various purposes, conducting research on multiple topics, and other similar tasks. I observed how staff interacted with each other and the entrepreneurs in the office, as this is a shared space for all. Most importantly, I gained a personal definition of social entrepreneurship and an understanding for the ever present need for organizations like reSET and the value that this type of business holds in our growing society. I now have a greater appreciation for the selfless work that these people do every day and look forward to my opportunity to make a difference in the world whether it is directly through reSET or indirectly through their inspiration. I have had a remarkable week-long journey and could not thank the staff enough for so readily welcoming me into their community. I can’t wait to see what reSET does next!