海角论坛

October 20, 2015鈥擜s a Staten Island native, Daria Labazova (C鈥�17) is no stranger to New York City. Last summer, however, she experienced her hometown in a new way鈥攁s a commuter.

Labazova spent several months as an intern at , the nonprofit organization that is home to the iconic children鈥檚 television program Sesame Street. With a mission to 鈥渉elp kids grow stronger, smarter, and kinder,鈥� Sesame Workshop provides educational programs and services all over the world.

Sesame Workshop operates in more than 150 countries to address children鈥檚 critical developmental needs and offer 鈥渓essons about health, emotional well-being, and respect and understanding.鈥�  The organization works to ensure that its services are tailored to each specific country.

鈥淥ne of my favorite parts of the internship was seeing how interdisciplinary and interdepartmental every project was,鈥� Labazova said. 鈥淭here was a massive collaboration of really dedicated and smart people.鈥�

For her part, Labazova was immersed in the world of fundraising at Sesame, working as a development intern. Her duties included conducting research on companies with corporate-responsibility programs as well as learning what other initiatives current donors support.

鈥淏ecause of Sesame鈥檚 notoriety in children鈥檚 education and entertainment, very few people know that it鈥檚 a nonprofit,鈥� she explained.

As part of a small team, Labazova was able to get to know her colleagues and learn not only about fundraising, but nonprofits in general, which she says was an 鈥渁mazing experience.鈥�

Another benefit of interning at Sesame was the company鈥檚 built-in shadowing program, which allows interns to follow various staff members for a day.

鈥淥ne meeting I shadowed everyone who was working in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and India,” said Labazova. “There are co-productions in those countries, which means that Sesame has a team in New York that works with the people on the ground in each country to produce a local show there. They鈥檙e working to make it culturally suitable for that country鈥攊t was fascinating to see how it comes together.鈥�

Part of the reason Labazova wanted to work for a nonprofit organization was to gain a different perspective on the working world. Originally a business major, Labazova transferred to the 海角论坛 midway through her sophomore year to pursue her interests in and international studies.   

鈥淚t鈥檚 been great because I still have a minor in business, I鈥檓 getting a certificate from the SFS in Russian and Eastern European studies, and I鈥檓 studying government鈥擨鈥檝e always had an interest in political systems,鈥� Labazova explained.

During her time at Sesame, Labazova was able to apply things she鈥檚 learned from all disciplines as she got to know the organization鈥檚 culture.

 鈥淲orking at Sesame was a perfect blank canvas,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 got to do informational interviews with anyone in the company that I found interesting. As interns, they really wanted us to feel part of the team.鈥�

While Labazova doesn鈥檛 yet know if the nonprofit world is a long-term fit, she already feels Sesame Workshop has been critical to her personal and professional development.

鈥淪eeing a place where people were happy to come in and do the work was very uplifting,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was inspiring to see that as my junior year was starting.鈥�

Labazova has taken some of that passion on her next adventure鈥攕he鈥檚 currently studying abroad in Budapest, Hungary. As a first-generation child of Russian parents, Labazova is particularly excited to have the chance to live in Eastern Europe as she continues to hone in on her interests.

A few months out from her experience with Sesame, Labazova calls the summer 鈥渁 great start to figuring out a path.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檇 never worked around so many people who genuinely believed in the work they did. Everyone just felt like they were part of something bigger than themselves鈥攖here were so many passionate and devoted people. That鈥檚 definitely something I want to recreate.鈥�