As I entered my summer project with enFocus I was nothing short of nervous. While
I’d been in new destinations before, no environment I had entered was quite like that of South Bend’s, coupled with the fact all the communication I’d received to that point
indicated that my work would have direct implications on both my supervisors as well as the company at large.
At first, that pressure was intimidating. I caught myself wanting to sit back and just
observe, to make sure I didn’t say the wrong thing or step on any toes. But pretty quickly, I realized that wouldn’t work here. If I wanted to contribute meaningfully, I had to get comfortable speaking up, asking questions, and putting myself out there.
One of the biggest lessons I learned was how important it is to communicate
openly. Early on, I noticed that when I kept quiet about uncertainties, projects slowed
down. But when I was upfront—whether about what I understood, where I needed clarity, or how I thought we should move forward—the work got better. It wasn’t about always being right; it was about keeping the team aligned and making sure no one was stuck waiting on me.
I also learned that leadership doesn’t just mean being in charge—it means being willing to step forward when something needs to be done. There were plenty of times I didn’t feel like the most qualified person in the room, but if I had an idea for how to move things along, I started sharing it. Sometimes those ideas stuck, sometimes they didn’t, but either way it helped me build confidence and showed me that initiative counts just as much as experience.
Looking back, this internship taught me a lot about myself. I came in nervous and hesitant, but I left with a stronger sense of how to lead, how to communicate, and how to take responsibility for my work. More than anything, it showed me that growth happens when you stop just observing and start stepping forward.
