The (Light Foundation) internship was a good experience, it gave me a taste of what it is I really want to do, and I look forward to taking what I learned and applying it to my classes this fall.
When Caroline Tripp, ’24, received an email from Diane Bell, Bridgewater State University’s vice president of outreach and engagement, recommending she apply for a summer internship with the Matt Light Foundation, she was intrigued.
A standout on the BSU women’s basketball team, Caroline was looking for ways to expand her leadership skills and the opportunity looked promising.
“I had seen a lot of different openings for internships, some seemed more interesting than others, but this one jumped out at me because of my goals and the room for growth, leadership-wise,” she said.
Her hunch proved correct and this summer she was hired as a public relations intern to work for the organization founded by former New England Patriots standout Matt Light. The foundation’s mission is to help young people develop skills, values, and a mindset necessary to create a meaningful and productive future.
Working out of the group’s Sharon office, Caroline gained experience in social media management and blogging, and also collaborated with other interns and staffers to develop proposals for donors and fundraising efforts.
“I’ve enjoyed the work a lot because it’s rewarding. It’s not just busy work sitting behind a screen, you’re taking action to help youth and give back. You get to see your efforts unfold and make a difference,” she said.
Having a positive impact is something that motivates Caroline, especially within her own community. Including BSU.
Last year, the senior started a club on the Bridgewater campus to help student-athletes manage their mental health. Working with the nonprofit Morgan’s Message, Caroline established at BSU an ambassador program, one of more than 1,000 at campuses nationwide. Morgan was a lacrosse player at Duke who committed suicide; her family started this program.
Through the program, meetings allow student athletes to check in on each other, particularly regarding their mental health. During finals, Caroline and other members of the club hosted mental health hangouts and during the year organized guest speakers to come and talk to BSU teams.
“Also, each (athletic) team on campus now has a representative and we get together once a month to talk about things, to make sure that we have check-ins. We let each other know that we’re in this together...and it’s okay to not be okay,” Caroline said.
There is also an Instagram page dedicated to the program.
As she heads into her senior year at Bridgewater, Caroline is excited to continue with the program and expand her growing leadership skills.
“The (Light Foundation) internship was a good experience, it gave me a taste of what it is I really want to do, and I look forward to taking what I learned and applying it to my classes this fall,” she said.
Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu