Starting from the end of May and lasting to the early parts of July, my internship was an enjoyable experience from start to finish. In regards to my process specifically, I worked as a Faculty Assistant/ Grounds Overseer. In fact, one of my major projects required me to be proficient in both the grounds and office side of Calvary. The “Tree Project”, as it was called, involved me riding around the cemetery recording the amount of trees that were supposedly in each section. If I encountered a tree that was not previously in the system, I wrote down which section the tree, and its relation to any monument, so the office can update the location of the tree in the system. The overall objective of this project was to record which trees were still present and/or recently planted. This information was crucial for the cemetery since they had been combating the infestation of Emerald Ash Borer. This exotic beetle and his counterparts were responsible for destroying over 100 trees in Calvary. Because of this infestation, the groundsmen had to replant new trees, who were not recorded in the system, in order to replace the dying ones. The system I am referring to is called Calvary Archives. This software allows the staff and administration access burial agreements, internments, work orders, etc. It can also be used to search memorials and highlight the “current” locations of the trees. Again, as I finished recording the presence of existent or non-existent trees, I turned my personal records into my employer, Ms. Kelly, so she could update the archives.

 

Now, every project has its unforeseen challenges or trials; this project was no different. There were plenty of obstacles that I had to overcome during this endeavor, but there were predominantly three factors that were constant hindrances throughout this project. One of these hindrances was the unpredictable weather. At times, the weather would be perfect. With clear skies and a subtle yet refreshing breeze, that seemingly traveled across the entire cemetery. While other days, were rather intense. For instance, the sun would engulf the cemetery in its rays, which lead to this unbearable heat throughout the day. Even when I packed multiple water bottles, I would still run out of the water to quench my unending thirst. And because of this, I had to pause during my recording process, so I could return to the office to restock on water, which only slowed down my progression. And when the weather is not a problem, my additional duties stand in the way. For example, when I was out searching for trees in Section 29, I ran into an elderly couple. They needed help finding a particular upright monument, so I had to point them in the right direction. Now I enjoyed offering my assistance, but the situation did lead me to a section that was quite a distance away from the section I was previously on. So, I had to back track, in order to find the location of the tree that I was in the midst of recording before the interruption.  In addition to providing assistance to fellow visitors, I also had to focus my attention on cleaning up the cemetery after Memorial Day. There were moments where I spent days scouring the cemetery for American flags. These days were rather simple yet tiring and did not warrant much time to complete any other tasks. Which brings me to my biggest challenge during the internship process, the management of time. It is an apparent fact that a person can only do so much in one day. This simple statement resonated with me during the course of my internship. No matter how fast and efficient I worked, I just could not complete every task that was given to me that day. Time was a constant thorn in my side that never truly went away.

 

Overall, each challenge did not stop me from progressing through my project. When the weather was a concern, I always made sure to bring an extra cap and/or jacket to protect my body from the severities of the weather. And when there was a hot day, I packed at least three bottles of water, in order to stay outside as long as humanly possible. In regards to the last two hindrances, time and upholding my other Calvary duties, I overcame these obstacles by prioritizing my day.  As each day went by, I examined the current day’s tasks and completed them in order of significance. If I do not get a specific task done that day, I reassign it for a different day. But when there was a big event, Memorial Day, Sunday’s Mass, company meetings, etc., I always focused my efforts in preparing for those events first. Not only did these hindrances allowed me to be a more productive volunteer, they enhanced some previously learned skills, which I can use in my future career and education.

 

In conclusion, being an intern at Calvary Cemetery was very educational. Each day, I learned something new about the cemetery and even new skills that I had not currently possessed. As the weeks progressed, I developed a strong yet unique relationship with each colleague. But the overarching lesson I discovered throughout this internship, is that a person can effectively gain respect from their fellow colleagues when they work at the best of their ability. Again, this is one experience that I will forever cherish.