My time in the WordPress Credits Internship program was enlightening. This was my first time actively contributing to a real open-source project, and my first internship. I learned a lot about my own skills, about open-source software, and about the WordPress Foundation and WordPress software. Additionally, I would like to think that my contribution will have a lasting impact on the local WordPress community.

I was a regular WordPress user for about two years prior to this internship, and yet my own WordPress skills improved significantly following this internship. I completed Advanced WordPress Training, which went over skills such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Taxonomies, and Caching. But I this was not where most of my learning took place, rather, it was helping others resolve their own WordPress issues that taught me most of what I learned about the software during this internship; from improving my skills with the block editor by teaching people at the local WordPress meetup how to use it, to improving my website troubleshooting skills by helping people on the WordPress forums troubleshoot their own websites.

Though I have been an avid open-source user for years now as well, this was my first time contributing actively to an open-source project. I contributed meaningfully to both local and global groups at WordPress through my contributions to the Support and Community teams. I learned common contribution etiquette; as well as online forum etiquette (such as conflict deescalation skills).

I am also far more confident in my skills to arrange local meetups following this internship, and I am planning to host a WordPress Campus Connect here at CNM sometime in the Fall semester, should it be possible. Using the skills I learned during this course, as well as the skills I learned prior to WP Credits, I am confident that I can host a workshop in which students can learn how to make a website for their personal portfolio or their business. This will be done in collaboration with the Smith Brasher Hall branch of the Learning and Computer Center.

Finally, I had a chance to work with a personal mentor on my project. We had the opportunity to meet weekly and discuss my progress, which greatly helped me shape the direction of this course. His experience as someone who speaks at WordPress conferences, who has a hand in hosting WordPress educational events, and who manages WordPress TV were all relevant to my own contribution path, and so his experience complemented my needs.

I finished this internship with new skills, with new contacts, and with plans for continuing contributions to the WordPress Foundation. I hope to use what I earned to advance my career or achieve some kind of fulfillment.

Thank you.