Sharon Chen (BS '13)
“The best part about my internship at Hello Rewind was that I gained valuable experience at a start-up venture while participating in an important cause,” discloses NYU Stern sophomore Sharon Chen, who spent her summer working at the NYC-based social enterprise dedicated to helping victims of sex trafficking.
The company Hello Rewind, which recycles old t-shirts into custom laptop sleeves, provides survivors with job training and economic support. “Since Hello Rewind is still expanding, as Operations and PR Marketing intern, I had my hand in many different areas. I performed market research, wrote retail strategies, liaised with potential business partners, as well as processed orders and helped produce the laptop sleeves.”
For Sharon, participating in the inner workings of a burgeoning social enterprise brought to life an issue often discussed during her Stern coursework. “In Business & Its Publics, we examined how achieving sustainability is the main hurdle any social venture must overcome. Being able to contribute to Hello Rewind’s growing commercial success while remaining dedicated to the survivors’ rehabilitation strengthened my commitment to socially responsible efforts.”
In addition to her internship (for which she was granted a Social Impact Stipend from Stern), Sharon organized a bubble tea sale to benefit microfinance organization Kiva and traveled to New Orleans with Alternative Breaks to help rebuild houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina. “Venturing outside my comfort zone made me even more aware of important social issues around me.”
From her experiences, Sharon has gleaned much that will help her throughout the remainder of her Stern career and beyond. “I’ve learned about management and streamlining operations; I’ve learned to be independent and think about the big picture; and I’ve learned how to talk to people in business settings and respectfully communicate my ideas to those above me.” All these skills will come in handy when Sharon graduates from Stern’s Business & Political Economy program and eventually launches her own business, perhaps a social venture. “After all,” she says, “Engaging in a socially responsible career makes improving the world a more efficient and organized task – you’ll always keep at it!”
For Sharon, participating in the inner workings of a burgeoning social enterprise brought to life an issue often discussed during her Stern coursework. “In Business & Its Publics, we examined how achieving sustainability is the main hurdle any social venture must overcome. Being able to contribute to Hello Rewind’s growing commercial success while remaining dedicated to the survivors’ rehabilitation strengthened my commitment to socially responsible efforts.”
In addition to her internship (for which she was granted a Social Impact Stipend from Stern), Sharon organized a bubble tea sale to benefit microfinance organization Kiva and traveled to New Orleans with Alternative Breaks to help rebuild houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina. “Venturing outside my comfort zone made me even more aware of important social issues around me.”
From her experiences, Sharon has gleaned much that will help her throughout the remainder of her Stern career and beyond. “I’ve learned about management and streamlining operations; I’ve learned to be independent and think about the big picture; and I’ve learned how to talk to people in business settings and respectfully communicate my ideas to those above me.” All these skills will come in handy when Sharon graduates from Stern’s Business & Political Economy program and eventually launches her own business, perhaps a social venture. “After all,” she says, “Engaging in a socially responsible career makes improving the world a more efficient and organized task – you’ll always keep at it!”