Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com Internship - Part 4: Conclusion

My internship experience at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com has just been extraordinary. Considering the circumstances of the pandemic, I can say I was fortunate and honored to enroll in an internship at a professional tennis tournament. I know perfection might not exist, but my experience was close to it. I'd definitely recommend it to other individuals.

I acquired soft skills: teamwork (with the other interns), communication and leadership (with tasks when talking to the staff), attention to details, problem-solving, organization, decision-making & management (when figuring out how to plan the medical testing site), creativeness, event planning (player’s lounge & overall plan of the event), time management and customer service on ticket sales. I also learned more specific skills when performing tasks: Artics and the overall ticket sales strategies from outbound and inbound calls to how to build connections, referrals and conclude sales. I learned how to speak over the phone with people in a professional environment. Now I know how to use marketing platforms such as Canva and Constant Contact; I improved my Microsoft Office skills and learned how to create a QR Code. I also apprehended about the prize money and how to fill out taxes. During the event, I also improved my Spanish fluency when talking to Spanish speakers. Through my experience, I also learned small little things that, even though they might seem not that important, are essential to know in any job, such as opening lockers and set up a printer.

I believe my friendly personality and enthusiasm and my approachability & determination helped to contribute to building a great environment in the office and a good point of contact for other staff members and buyers. My assigned task at the medical testing area during the tournament is what made the difference and was suitable for me. The connections I build with people, my ability to speak three languages, and my passion for tennis and the event helped to make the COVID-19 testing part of the DBO successful, and that was where I definitely contributed the most overall during my internship. You do you; it is you that make the experience an amazing one or an ok one. It is on your attitude, approach, and eagerness to learn. What makes this tournament stand out in the tour? First of all, the DBO staff is. I did enjoy working with any of them. Each staff member is different from each other, and that brings a lot of diversity & uniqueness to the team. The team is an amazing family, and everybody is closed to each other. For us interns, working with expert professionals as the chairman and the directors of the various departments has definitely been an incredible opportunity. I do not think we would have had the same opportunities with other organizations. Working with my main manager, the tournament chairman, has just been an extraordinary individual to work with. I learned so much. The volunteers are one of the best parts of the Open: they are just amazing and the staff does an incredible job with it. Volunteers do play a big part and are treated amazing at the DBO. All the volunteers coordinators/heads of the various departments are excellent people. It has been amazing to get to know them, and learn from them both professionally and personally. All the individuals that apply to volunteer love doing it, and do an awesome job. I can only think of positive feedback on volunteers. The family vibes make the difference at the Open, and you can just tell from the social media. My experience in Delray is something I will never forget, and I am sure it will help me out on my career and professional path; and I am very thankful for the opportunity I had to work there.