Working at 9/11 Memorial: Through the Eyes of an Events Intern

Sure, waking up each weekday morning to catch the 7:29 a.m. train to Hoboken, NJ to then transfer to the PATH train bound for the World Trade Center isn’t a thrilling adventure.Yet working at the 9/11 Memorial Museum this summer made it all worth it.

I’m entering my final year of college as a student at Montclair State University in New Jersey. I’m the current president of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, which is what led me to an internship at the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Over the past five years our fraternity has held an event known as Pike Hike, a nearly 15-mile walk from Fort Lee Historic Park in New Jersey to the 9/11 Memorial. Pike Hike has continued to grow resulting in more than $25,000 in contributions to the Wounded Warrior Project.

When I first got in contact with the 9/11 Memorial, I was just beginning my preparation for this year’s Pike Hike, happening Sunday, September 13. I was interested in joining the 9/11 Memorial's team and found that Institutional Advancement would be the perfect fit for me this summer because it would assist in the development of my own projects, like Pike Hike, as well as help me to make contributions to the organization.

This summer has been a very meaningful experience for me. I was able to build connections, learn and contribute to a place that has such a strong meaning for me. I’ve learned a lot about fundraising and how to properly execute a successful event—something I would have never learned in classes. Working at the 9/11 Memorial really helped me build myself as a person in a multitude of ways and I’m grateful to have been given an opportunity here.

By John Andelfinger, 9/11 Memorial Events Intern