Short answer? It’s the best.

 

I had the opportunity to intern in the Communications Department at Bike New York for the entirety of my junior year and I can say that, without a doubt, it was worth the hike up from NYU. I applied with a passion for bikes and a hunch that there was a lot to learn from the finely-tuned organization that is Bike New York. Little did I know, one semester would turn into two, and my time with BNY would be one of the highlights of my school year.

 

The best part of this internship was being trusted with legitimate projects. With past internships as my reference point, I expected to do quite a bit of grunt work but this was not the case. During the nine months that I spent at Bike New York, my boss asked me to grab him a cup of coffee once. And then he got up to get his own sugar anyway. I wrote blog posts, conducted Bike New Yorker interviews, and got to feel very powerful while posting to an audience of more than 33k people on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Instead of improving my filing or envelope licking skills, I learned how to conduct interviews, use Adobe Creative Suite and WordPress, write effective social media posts and blogs-the list goes on.

 

My internship began with a weekend working the Twin Lights Ride in Highlands, New Jersey and ended with Bike Expo New York and the TD Five Boro Bike Tour. The range and depth of preparation that goes into getting 32,000 cyclists on the streets safely is incredible. I also gained a tolerance for early mornings and standing in the rain for extended periods of time—important lessons that I am sure will come in handy for any and every future job.

 

I definitely gained some great professional skills but I would be undermining the experience to leave it at that. Bike New York provides bike education throughout all five boroughs and as a consequence, I got to talk with bike lovers in all sorts of cool places. I worked at the office in Morningside Heights, observed classes on Roosevelt Island, photographed a family in East Flatbush, and visited the great state of New Jersey, among many other destinations. For a gal new to the city, this internship has given me an unbeatable education in not only everything bike-related, but also the dynamic and wonderful place that is New York City.

 

 

I got to run around the city for Bike New Yorker interviews featured monthly on the blog and talk with people from all walks of life about bikes. After interviewing recent immigrants, students, and mountain-biking moms, I’ve learned that riding means so many things to so many different people. At the end of my internship, I find myself more passionate about bike education than ever before.

 

 

Bike New York is truly an organization rooted in and committed to New York and the people who live here. Yes, it’s about teaching people to ride bikes and ride safely, but after interning, I’ve learned that the mission runs much deeper. Learning to ride means the confidence of mastering a skill, a new mode of transportation, a way to explore the city and the freedom of two wheels. I hate to be cheesy, but I truly believe that signing up for one of Bike New York’s free classes or registering for a ride can be life changing.

 

 

I couldn’t accurately describe my experience without writing about the amazing staff that I got to work with and learn from. I felt immediately welcomed into the fold and loved being surrounded by people who are passionate about their jobs. I am so glad I got to be a part of this tight-knit community, if only for a short while. The staff is full of accomplished folks with eclectic backgrounds, and I learned so much, even from just being a fly on the wall. If I gained even half as much experience, it would have been a success. I was able to learn a ton while working at an organization that is the very best in bike education—something I am extremely passionate about. I have no doubt that this internship will be very hard to beat.

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Interested in joining the Bike New York team as a Communications Intern? Apply here!