Akshay Das

Former Accounting Assistant (Spring/Summer 2024-2025)

I joined CEFN because it allowed me the ability to implement changes to the company. This type of freedom under the leadership of Sherry has taught me a lot. I learned how to budget, read financial statements and do financial modeling as well. I also learned how to write to sponsors and customers, a skill that I didn’t anticipate before. That is the benefit of CEFN, it gives you an opportunity to learn new skills that would make you a more well rounded person. Each assignment produces an impact on the organization and it makes you feel that you’ve had an influence at CEFN. In addition, the team is full of supportive individuals who are always by your side, ready to help you if you face any challenges.

Jeremy Senh

Former Webmaster (Spring/Summer 2024-2025)

Hi there, my name is Jeremy Senh! I am so honored to be a part of the CEFN team as a Drexel co-op intern during the Spring/Summer 2024-25 co-op cycle. Being the Webmaster in CEFN for the past six months has been some of the most memorable experiences that I’ve ever had especially with my team of Drexel co-op students. During my time here with the support from my supervisor, Sherry Hill, I took on a creative individual project where I worked on redesigning and remaking the website allowing CEFN to have a fresh start with a more clean, refined, intuitive user interface and user flow while also being responsive and accessible for the older adults and all users visiting our website on all devices. This was a long process but it was very rewarding to see my creativity and hard work paid off as I learned how to use WordPress and the helpful plugins that we use or introduce like Beaver Builder and Pods. I am very proud of my work especially in the Partners and Sponsors page and the Internship Testimonials page, both which were huge improvements from their original designs. Not only that, but I was able to introduce new tools and software to help improve the workflow of some of our tasks like Calendly for co-op interview scheduling.

CEFN has helped me grow not only as a UI/UX student, but also as a person with the many soft skills that I was able to gain throughout this co-op. Thank you to Jinny and Julia Veal who introduced Beaver Builder and started this project, and thank you Sherry and the 2024-25 Spring/Summer co-op team for making my first co-op unforgettable!

Skye Seidenstein

Former Digital Media Designer (Spring/Summer 2024-2025)

Overall, my experience working at CEFN has been remarkable, I’ve worked with a cohesive and communicative team helping to make a non-profit’s mission come to life. Over my tenure working there, I felt as though I was able not only to work on the assignments I was given but also my own individual contributions to help make CEFN even better. I was frequently permitted to work on more and larger scale projects to truly test my skills and ultimately push the CEFN design philosophy much farther. Additionally, working under Sherry has been wonderful as she grants her interns a lot of flexibility and independence allowing us to work on assignments as we see fit. She truly believes in the skills and abilities of every intern that walks through the CEFN doors.

Serena Pearl

Former Grant Writer (Spring/Summer 2024-2025)

I truly could not have asked for a better first co-op experience or introduction to grant writing. CEFN was a life-changing experience. When I first started the role, I was incredibly overwhelmed as I had never worked in this kind of environment before, but I quickly began to love this internship and CEFN as a whole. I learned invaluable skills about communication and the significance of forming professional relationships. Sherry Hill is an incredible boss as she cares deeply for every member of her team and is willing to help make her team’s jobs as gratifying as possible. Whether one wants to pursue a personal project or needs assistance with their work, Sherry will always offer guidance from either herself or her business partners. Our daily morning meetings created a sense of unity and made me feel incredibly connected to my coworkers even though the position was remote. Often Sherry encouraged our team to attend webinars reflective of our jobs. These webinars educated me on the significance of creating relationships with organizations within grant writing. Regardless of if I pursue grant writing in the future, the transferable skills I learned from working at the Community Enrichment Fitness Network will help me succeed in any professional setting.

Max Haney

Former Event and Marketing Management Coordinator (Spring/Summer 2024-2025)

When I first accepted the job offer for CEFN, my primary goal was to learn a lot about the business world but also to get some hands-on experience. This position has provided me with so much more than I could have ever expected from its easy to overlook details of being virtual and 20 hours per week. Sherry has been directly involved with marketing for a long time and is extremely helpful and knowledgeable for any struggles that an intern may come across, but also leaves the job very open for creative freedom and I truly felt like I had an impact in the company and was helping a fair bit. The setup of having a team of other Drexel co–op students is also fantastic, I’ve truly appreciated my time with all of them and I don’t think the job would be nearly as fun or enriching without them. As a bonus, getting to be involved directly with the co-op interviews adds a sense of agency in picking a replacement along with learning about the other side of interviews as a whole and those were both fantastic experiences.

Yaxia Li

Former Nutrition Assistant (Fall/Winter 2024-2025)

Throughout my internship, I have demonstrated a strong work ethic and commitment, taking the initiative to complete tasks such as budget sheet reviews, QuickBooks tutorials, and strategic planning efforts. My ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues has helped me contribute to team projects and support CEFN’s mission. Additionally, I have developed strong research and resource development skills, collecting valuable information for weekly post on social media. Furthermore, I actively engaged in multiple webinars on nonprofit management, branding, and bookkeeping, demonstrating my eagerness to expand my knowledge. My role also required me to manage external communications, including follow-up emails, social media posts, and outreach efforts, which helped strengthen my communication skills.
Overall, my time at CEFN has been a rewarding experience, and I am grateful for the skills and personal growth I have gained throughout my internship.

Jerison Guillon Minier

Former Accounting Assistant (Fall/Winter 2024-2025)

While working at CEFN as an accounting assistant, I have learned what type of work environment best suits me as well as more ways I can become a dependable worker. When first starting working at CEFN, I was a bit concerned because it was an online position. I wasn’t sure how effectively I could work like this since it’s a first for me, but thankfully Sherry gave us a warm welcome and allowed us some time to acclimatize to the work. Working at CEFN showed me that employers expect you to go above and beyond, which is a challenge I enjoy. My communication skills as well as my vocabulary were forced to improve since joining CEFN. Being tasked with writing professional-level emails to multiple sponsors and conducting conversations with them regularly truly helped me with this. I have also developed my interview skills because CEFN gives us the opportunity to interview other students. Along with that, I was provided with free information through webinars that we often attended. Most importantly, I was able to work alongside professionals in my field with projects that would ultimately benefit CEFN in the long run. From my experience at CEFN, I have learned that I am an adaptable worker. I have also developed a lot of skills that will help me in my career. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work at CEFN. It allowed me to work flexibly in a way that I both focused on my education/major specific responsibilities as well as pursuing my personal endeavours.

Mango Diaczynsky

Former Digital Media Designer (Fall/Winter 2024-2025)

I am honored to have been a part of Community Enrichment Fitness Network as its Digital Media Designer for the Fall and Winter seasons of 2024 and 2025. The bar for my future job search has been raised. There were no limits to my creativity, and the schedule was extremely flexible. In other internships I have experienced, I have been told to keep my head down and do the assignments given, but at CEFN, I felt I actually had a role to play, that my opinions actually mattered to the function of the company. Working with CEFN has been a complete confidence boost, and for that, I will be forever grateful.

Shrey Patel

Former Social Entrepreneur (Fall/Winter 2024-2025)

My experience at the Community Enrichment Fitness Network (CEFN) as the Social Entrepreneur has been truly life-changing, and much of that is thanks to the incredible mentorship of Sherry Hill. From the beginning, she saw my potential and pushed me to grow in ways I never imagined. Her unwavering support, patience, and constructive feedback helped me develop a stronger sense of professionalism, improve my communication skills, and gain confidence in my abilities. She challenged me to take on tasks outside my comfort zone—such as working on grant applications and managing our LinkedIn page—providing me with invaluable hands-on experience. Sherry’s leadership and dedication created an environment where I felt encouraged to learn and improve every day. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity that was granted to me, hope to use these valuable skills in the near future.

Julia Veal

Former Webmaster (Fall/Winter 2024-2025)

As Webmaster, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Community Enrichment Fitness Network. During my time here, I gained invaluable WordPress experience and appreciated the autonomy to take initiative and find creative solutions to any challenges that arose. Working within a small, close-knit team has always been my preferred work environment, and it was incredibly rewarding to contribute to a cause that supports the senior population – an area that is deeply meaningful to me.

Tyler Gift

Former Event & Marketing Management Coordinator (Fall/Winter 2024-2025)

My time at CEFN has been an incredibly rewarding experience, both professionally and personally. From the very beginning, I felt welcomed and valued as part of the team, which made all the difference in my ability to grow and contribute meaningfully. Sherry, our supervisor, was an amazing mentor, always supportive, patient, and willing to provide guidance when needed. She created an environment where I felt comfortable asking questions, taking initiative, and learning from every challenge. Her leadership not only made our work more impactful but also reinforced the importance of passion and dedication in nonprofit work.

One of the highlights of this experience was working alongside an incredible team of co-op students. Everyone brought unique skills and perspectives to the table, making collaboration both productive and enjoyable. Whether we were brainstorming ideas, problem-solving, or supporting each other through busy deadlines, there was always a strong sense of teamwork. I genuinely looked forward to our meetings and discussions because I knew we were all working toward a shared goal.

This internship has given me a deeper appreciation for the work that goes into nonprofit management, event planning, and community outreach. I’ve gained hands-on experience that I know will benefit me in the future, but more importantly, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a team that made every challenge feel manageable.

I’m incredibly grateful for my time at CEFN and the people I’ve had the privilege to work with. This experience has solidified my confidence in my abilities and given me invaluable skills that I will carry with me into my future career.

Lizbeth Benito

Former Social Entrepreneur (Spring/Summer 2023-2024)

During my time at CEFN, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in every aspect of business management, allowing me to gain a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to run a nonprofit organization. The hands-on experience I gained while working with CEFN was incredibly rewarding and has significantly enriched my professional development.

Collaborating closely with Sherry and the Board of Directors was particularly valuable. It provided me with deep insights into the strategic and operational elements that are essential for an organization’s success. In addition to working with the Board, I had the chance to step into the role of a grant writer, which was both challenging and enlightening. I was involved in setting up meetings with foundations that had previously rejected our proposals, allowing me to learn firsthand about the specific aspects of the application process that these foundations prioritize. This experience has greatly enhanced my ability to enhance existing proposals that align with funders’ expectations. It was a wonderful experience having worked with the rest of the co-op team to continue to push CEFN forward with Sherry.

Daryn Lam

Former Digital Media Designer (Spring/Summer 2023-2024)

Over the past six months, my position as the Digital Media Designer saw me making all sorts of graphic design work, such as posters, flyers, newsletters, and more. Although I didn’t have much experience with the types of projects I worked on before CEFN, the freedom, flexibility, and encouragement from Sherry really helped me to be creative and ultimately allowed me to exercise new skills in terms of graphic design. Being able to get feedback from not only my teammates, but also from Sherry and even board members at times was valuable, and I’ve gained confidence in communication as well, especially through email correspondences. This position kept me on my toes at times with unexpected deadlines and last-minute alterations that would sometimes arise; I think these kinds of experiences really reflect working in the real world and will definitely give me a better grasp of expectations in my career moving forward. Working at CEFN also gave me insights into the back-end of an organization and all the trials and tribulations that come with running a grassroots nonprofit, and I felt very present and involved in all the ups and downs that Sherry and the team experienced throughout event planning and even our day-to-day work lives. You will certainly feel valued as a team member and a professional, and come away with a great many things to include in your portfolio for the future.

Dien Le

Former Accounting Assistant (Spring/Summer 2023-2024)

CEFN is one of the most wonderful experiences that I have had during my college life. I have learned many new things through the Accounting Assistance position, such as budgeting, QuickBooks, and financial modeling, which could be beneficial for my future career. I also got the chance to attend one of CEFN’s biggest events of the year, which was a great opportunity to see the outcome of all the team’s hard work. It also helped me better understand the services CEFN provides to seniors and how the organization operates. Although the work environment was online, I believe every Co-Op could still feel the connection since Sherry, our supervisor, is very caring and supportive of every student. CEFN is where your opinions are valued by the directors, and you can feel that you are contributing something to the community after completing each project or assignment. Overall, the experience was great and I enjoyed my time at CEFN.

Duong Ly

Former Event and Marketing Management Coordinator (Spring/Summer 2023-2024)

As the Event and Marketing Management Coordinator, I have grown and developed in many ways throughout the last six months. This role allowed me to work on many things, such as sponsorship proposals, volunteer recruitment, managing databases, and much more. In general, it has taught me so much when it comes to event planning and marketing. When I first started this position, my main goal was to not only develop technical skills but to also develop and refine my soft skills as well. As of now, I believe that I have achieved that to a more than satisfactory level. For example, this internship opportunity has given me the chance to grow as a leader, which I never considered myself to be before starting the job. Not only that, my communication and adaptability skills have developed tremendously as well because of the work environment that was fostered here. Most of all, I would like to express my utmost gratitude to Sherry and the rest of the CEFN team for their kindness and support. The guidance and encouragement from Sherry and the times when I collaborated on assignments with the whole team made my experience here at CEFN both enjoyable and rewarding. Thank you for giving me such a positive and memorable six months.

Eishan Ayene

Former Webmaster (Spring/Summer 2023-2024)

My name is Eishan Ayene and I was the webmaster for CEFN. As the webmaster, my responsibilities involved designing the website, analyzing website analytics, and implementing features. Working for CEFN has been an amazing opportunity. Sherry has been an amazing boss who shows care for her organization and employees. She also provides us with so many resources to make our experience great. Everyone who works at CEFN will have something new they learn. CEFN also develops your connections and you have the opportunity to help the community in person. I have learned so much and had a lot of fun with my time here. When I first started working at CEFN, I was worried about working independently since it was my first work experience but quickly found out that I am able to work independently which helped build my confidence in the workplace. Working at CEFN showed me that I can take on multiple projects at once since we would have team projects that required communication. I have also developed my interview skills because CEFN gives us the opportunity to interview other students. Working here has also given me the chance to work with professionals through Catchafire,a non profit consulting organization that helps anyone who needs help with projects. These professionals can help you and teach you if you are willing to learn. Even though we worked remotely, my soft skills have improved a lot thanks to the type of positive environment that CEFN provides. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work at CEFN. It allowed me to work flexibly in a way that I both learned and worked in a real environment. It has also allowed me to help seniors in the community have a healthier lifestyle which has been amazing. CEFN is a truly unique organization and anyone who works here will see how great it is.

Alfreisis Florentino Perez

Former Social Worker Intern (2024)

I started my internship at the Community Enrichment Fitness Network (CEFN) on January 16, 2024 from La Salle University. My main tasks were to conduct health and wellness checks to the Seniors that CEFN works with, I also got to participate and help with some of the events that CEFN puts together for the seniors. During my internship I got to assist different workshops that helped me work better with the seniors, helping me understand certain behaviors and assumptions that people may have while working with older adults. CEFN is a great place to gain confidence and leadership skills, while under the amazing and encouraging supervision of Sherry Hill. While at CEFN I also got to develop great teamwork skills since I got to be part of an amazing team that was always willing to help in anything that the others needed. My internship at CEFN is an experience that I will never forget and that I know that everything I learned here will help me greatly in the future.

Wells Labbe

Former Digital Media Designer (Fall/Winter 2023-2024)

As CEFN’s Digital Media Designer, my responsibilities included creating flyers and other promotional material for upcoming events, working on newsletter and ad booklet layouts, One skill I acquired while working with CEFN is event planning. As Digital Media Designer, I was responsible for creating the flyers for upcoming events along with helping Sherry organize the event’s seating. Additionally, I gave volunteer orientations before every event to ensure both myself and my fellow volunteers knew what to do. Not only did I learn basic event planning, but I also executed those plans, as CEFN’s co-op students help run the events on the day of. I had a good relationship with my co-op team. I particularly worked well with the webmaster, as our work would sometimes overlap. Overall, the hours were flexible, and Sherry is a very understanding employer to work under. Sherry is an extremely helpful boss to have, as she gives students specific instruction only when needed, which helps with the job’s overall flexibility and my potential to grow in my creative position.

Esteban Ocasio

Former Webmaster (Fall/Winter 2023-2024)

Throughout my time here at CEFN as the Webmaster, I have learned a lot about the type of worker that I want to be in my career. Working remotely with a team has shown me how adaptable I am to working conditions as I had to do multiple jobs besides those given as the Webmaster and how well I can collaborate with others, outside my field. Working here has also given me the gift of working with much more experienced teammates than me such as my time with Gabby and her team of UI/UX designers and researchers in the design and development of our prototype of the CEFN website. I did not learn many soft skills since I have excellent people skills, but I did learn more about how the way I work and complete tasks such as needing to slow down and proofread messages before sending them out. Overall, I’m very thankful to have the opportunity to work at CEFN. It enabled me to review the aspects of myself I can improve upon (whether it be for work or personal life) & allowed me to help others in the community live a healthier lifestyle.

Diamond Warney

Former Grant Writer (Fall/Winter 2023-2024)

CEFN provided me with a window into the operation of a non-profit organization. I was primarily involved in fundraising and learned so much about grant writing through instructional materials and webinars that I was encouraged to attend during the workday. I also learned a lot about sponsorship and often communicated with CEFN’s sponsors, vendors, and board members. This position allowed me to gain confidence in a professional setting and I began to feel progressively more comfortable reaching out.

During my co-op, I was also able to assist with event planning, board development, and volunteer recruitment. Getting to work in so many different areas kept the position interesting and allowed me to gain a variety of soft skills that will be very useful in the future. These include leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration. I worked closely with CEFN’s executive director and a board governance consultant to help recruit members for the Board of Directors, set up and attended board meetings, and gave feedback on CEFN’s updated bylaws. I wrote newsletters and recruited volunteers for CEFN’s senior galas.

The diverse skill set I was able to acquire and the experiences I had during my time at CEFN allowed me to immerse myself in this co-op fully. I was able to take advantage of multiple opportunities and fulfill several different roles and responsibilities that have made me a more well-rounded candidate for future employment.

Salman Balgrami

Former Event and Marketing Coordinator (Fall/Winter 2023-2024)

As CEFN’s Event and Marketing Management Coordinator, I would say my overall experience working at CEFN is pretty positive. During my time, I got to learn more about marketing in a non profit organization, and got to learn more about event planning. My primary duties were working on the seating arrangement, company proposal letters, volunteers, the senior database, and my project. I got to learn more about what it takes to run a non profit organization, and the amount of work and planning it takes. I would say that my greatest strength working at CEFN is writing emails, hitting deadlines, and working on my Linkedin Project. With tasks that I am assigned with, I was able to get them done within the day if it was not something that would take longer like my Linkedin Project. Overall, it was a really good working experience, and I look forward to utilizing my skills that I have gained towards my future career.

Chuanhui Yan

Former Digital Media Designer (Spring/Summer 2022-2023)

As a digital media designer, my overall experience with CEFN is eye opening. At CEFN, I have worked on flyers, tickets, newsletter, ad, website and promotion video, reorganize the google drive and many other miscellaneous tasks. I did experience some challenges when I just started, prior to CEFN, I didn’t have any work experience or any knowledge about organizing events. Working at CEFN let me gain a lot of knowledge in those areas and allow me to evaluate my skill set objectively. I have gained many soft skills like communication, networking, and adaptability that will help me in the future.

Khuong Nguyen

Former Webmaster (Spring/Summer 2022-2023)

My name is Khuong Nguyen. I am the Webmaster at Community Enrichment Fitness Network. My responsibilities at the organization include collaborating with the Digital Media Designer to update the website as well as helping Sherry out with sending emails, invoices, and other miscellaneous tasks. After my experience at CEFN, I was able to improve my communication skills, understand the environment of a workplace, and have some experience developing a website using WordPress.

Eyerlin Nunez

Former Social Worker (2023)

My overall experience at CEFN was successful. I enjoyed the teamwork. CEFN has built my self-confidence that my thoughts and opinion matters. CEFN exposed me to learning from attending webinars and the importance of learning from others. One of the skills that Ms. Sherry Hill taught me was how to conduct myself as a professional on how to communicate well to the seniors I was serving.

CEFN supported me in interacting with Residents on the phone on doing wellness checks and assessments. Ms. Hill guided me on how to ask the right questions to gain confidence from the residents and simultaneously get enough information to help the residents with their social services needs. One skill that I learned from Ms. Hill and the assessments was to use the right questions to get the necessary information without aﬀecting their emotional status. I also learned from Ms. Hill to conduct myself as a professional knowing how to communicate the information well to the Seniors that I was serving. I learned how to do an individual assessment with clients face-to-face and on the phone. I also had the opportunity to upload the progress reports from the wellness checks of the resident in the ASCC Portal.

Finally, I’m eternally grateful to CEFN and the whole organization including Ms. Hill for teaching me skills, values, and the competencies that I had to meet. Thanks, Sherry Hill for being a mirror to my career goals. God bless you all, THANK YOU!

John Nguyen

Former Webmaster (Fall/Winter 2022-2023)

Overall, I had a very insightful experience at CEFN while having my co-op there for the past six-months. I applied to CEFN as the webmaster intern, though I had to wear many other hats since I was the only one who applied. With that being said, there were still a various set of soft skills that I have learned over the course of the co-op. I learned the importance of designing based on the demographic you are targeting. For example, I had to create forms and fliers for the older adults going to the events and make them easier to read and navigate(larger/ simpler fonts, better organized). Another example is that I revamped common forms/documents to make them look more professional and easier to interact with for the sponsors or volunteers that would need them.

I also learned some better communication skills while working at CEFN. I had many opportunities present to an audience and it highlighted my strength to speak clearly & thoroughly to others so that they can follow along a lot easier. I also developed better email etiquette while when I had to send documents or announcements to sponsors, community partners, interns, or co-op interviewers
Another element I found helpful was when I had the opportunity to participate in the co-op interviews. I was able to ask questions to the students and rank their interviews based on their performance. It showed me how I can improve my own interviews, understanding what most companies/organizations generally look for in an employee/intern
The workload at CEFN was usually average (though it did become a bit heavier as event dates became closer). Completing assignments was very flexible(since it was remote and only 20 hours) and I had the opportunity to choose what tasks to complete first(unless there are ones with extreme importance).

I’m very thankful to have the opportunity to work at CEFN. It enabled me to review the aspects of myself I can improve upon(whether it be for work or personal life) & allowed me to help others in the community live a healthier lifestyle.

Honor Goldberg

Former Event & Marketing Management Coordinator (Spring/Summer 2021-2022)

My overall experience at CEFN has been amazing. I came into this position unsure of myself and my abilities but I quickly learned that sherry was there to help me grow and learn. While starting the Co-op I was facing many challenges in my own personal life and ultimately the position held me accountable to keep pushing through and joining the morning meetings. I’m really thankful that Sherry gave me a chance and let me prove myself. I also learned a lot about myself and what I enjoy doing such as fundraising. I am happy that I raised over 500$ in donations. I would definitely recommend this co-op to other students, especially ones who are doing their first co-op for the first time. It was a great opportunity that allowed me to grow while also pushing me to be better.

Leo Chan

Former Accounting Assistant (Spring/Summer 2021-2022)

Before working as CEFN’s Accounting Assistant, I had relatively little experience working for a third-party company/association. While I did know what my responsibilities are, I was unsure of how exactly I would carry those responsibilities out until I started gaining more experience in working with CEFN. Thankfully, I had the help of Sherry Hill, the previous Accounting Assistant, and my current team of interns to get used to this position. During my time as the Accounting Assistant, I have gained some knowledge of what employers expect when hiring individuals.

During my time as the Accounting Assistant, I have enjoyed the time I spent working for CEFN. Whether it was having fun at CEFN’s events, or working with my team, I look fondly upon these moments. Overall, I would recommend working at CEFN to get a good idea of what it is like to work at a small company, where your ideas and contributions matter to the company.

Charles Nemeth

Former Grant Writer (Spring/Summer 2021-2022)

Working at CEFN really just made my life so much easier. Because while CEFN has responsibilities, obligations and tasks, it never felt as if Ms. Hill was in my face telling me to “get it done now”. For that I am thankful. But to move along, I think my work performance was very high while working at CEFN.

Lastly, I think my other biggest strength has been the energy i bring to the day and to the events. I absolutely loved being at the Gala back in my first week of working with CEFN, and i hope that my energy was seen on that day My strong suit, I have learned, is public speaking. Throughout this year i have given a plethora of detailed presentations and I am very proud of that fact. I am most proud of all the presentations i gave on the book “Fundraising is”. It was an amazing read that really gave me an opportunity to learn a lot about life through the book and fundraising.

Sonty Seang

Former Webmaster (Spring/Summer 2021-2022)

If I were to describe my experience at CEFN, I would say that it’s relaxing. My main role as the website master allowed for a lot of room to work. I was a bit intimidated about having to learn how to use a program that I’d never even heard of while also juggling other workloads.

However, CEFN (Sherry Hill) offered an environment of allowing me to take my time to learn various nuances of WordPress bit by bit where I started to get the gist of the program while also learning to adapt how to do other CEFN work. CEFN’s learning environment coupled with encouragement by Ms. Sherry Hill to do what needed to be done as was possible allowed me to pace myself. Ms. Sherry also encouraged us to attend seminars and encouraged work with our coworkers and seek help if needed. Ultimately, CEFN is an internship for OUR sake, and I can’t help but be thankful for that. I was allowed to work on other aspects of my life during that time being while also learning more about myself.

Dean Warfield

Former Office Manager (Spring/Summer 2021-2022)

There were a few different responsibilities I had as an office manager, some of that I expected when joining CEFN and others that I was glad I was able to pick up. The task’s that I expected to encounter were notetaking, business planning, a few instances of coordinating the team, and mainly helping Sherry out with tasks at hand. The unexpected tasks that I was happy to take on were graphic design, policy writing, and fundraising work. Some of these tasks helped me learn new skills while graphic design is one of my passions and I was glad I had the chance to work on flyers, tickets, and other design projects.

One of, if not the best, part of working at CEFN was working under Sherry. Not only does Sherry lighten the mood of the Zoom room she is in, but she is also an extremely helpful mentor. Sherry was great to work with on all of the projects that included many many revisions and she was very understanding but also motivating when there were times I needed to improve. Sherry very clearly cares about all of the hard work that she does for CEFN and cares for all of the co-op employees at CEFN as her students. I could tell from my first call before my job interview that Sherry would be a great boss to work with and I was proved right

Amy Xi

Former Nutrition Assistant (Spring/Summer 2021-2022)

I was fortunate enough to do a co-op with CEFN in 2022 on a team with five other co-op students. Sherry helped build a productive community among the six of us and facilitated a supportive environment where we could easily cooperate within our intern group as well as with CEFN’s board and sponsors. Sherry Hill and the CEFN board is passionate about making sure older adults have an enjoyable and educational experience, and they gave me feedback to push me because they cared about making sure I produce the best work possible for the good of the older adults. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic limited the number of nutrition programs and activities CEFN could hold, I am thankful that I could explore other areas of interest, such as graphic design and mentoring the CEFN interns that came after me. With this experience as a CEFN co-op student under my belt, I was able to grow my skills and thrive with the help of Sherry Hill.

Cecilia Mennia

Former Social Worker (2022)

I started my internship as a student social worker from La salle University on Tuesday, January 18, 2022. During my 12th week stay with CEFN I have experience a lot from both my colleagues Drexel team and my supervisor, Sherry Hill. I have learned the importance of teamwork and division of labor.
Ms. Hill was such a role model to me. She loved her work and never gave up when things were tough. I watched and loved her spirit of hard work, dedication , commitment, and professionalism. Ms. Sherry Hill Has taught me how to conduct myself as a professional knowing how to communicate information well to the seniors I was serving.
CEFN has helped me to have a first-hand experience interacting either face-to-face or on phone with seniors to conduct wellness check and assessment. Ms. Hill assisted me on how to ask the right questions to build rapport and get information from the senior population I served. This skill has taught me the confidence to use questions to gain deeper understanding and to seek clarification from the seniors without the fear of hurting their feelings. I was also able to experience and learned how to seek for resources from different organizations to help the seniors to solve their problems. I enjoyed planning and coordinating CEFN’s Motown senior gala, organized for the seniors. Lastly, I learned how to document client’s information into their files online which is an awesome experience. I want to say that I really enjoyed working with CEFN and GOD bless all the people I worked with and CEFN. Thank you.

Leah Nguyen

Former Office Manager (Fall/Winter 2021-2022)

When I first joined Community Enrichment Fitness Network, I didn’t quite know what to expect. All I knew was that I was going to be managing an office of Drexel interns at a nonprofit organization under Sherry’s supervision.

I wasn’t expecting that much autonomy in my workday. But to my surprise, I was given a ton of freedom in choosing my priorities when it came to accomplishing my daily/weekly tasks. Within this position, I was also given a huge leadership opportunity in which I improved my management, coordinating, & communication skills– something that I wasn’t too confident with before.

I wore multiple hats during this work experience. Not only did I play the role of Office Manager, but I also filled the role of Event Planner Coordinator, where I coordinated volunteers and vendors for our Senior Galas and made event planning manuals. I made many deliverables, which I am glad to add to my portfolio for the future.

My fellow Drexel interns and I get along really well and we talk outside of Co-op. I have built great relationships with them and I look forward to seeing what other opportunities lie ahead for my peers after this internship.

Sherry, you were extremely helpful in my Co-op and are a wonderful mentor. You are always encouraging me with positive reinforcement and excellent constructive criticism. You really do look out for us students and want the best for us. I truly appreciate all the hard work that you put into CEFN and I wish you the best on your future endeavors.

Connor Green

Former Digital Media Designer (Fall/Winter 2021-2022)

My experience at CEFN has been enjoyable, I really loved to express my creative freedom and design everything I did. A lot of my fun things were the designs for flyers, postcard flyers, and tickets. They were my favorites more so because my creative freedom was really expressed and I got to do so much with those designs. Initially coming into the co-op I wasn’t expecting to do such a variety of things for CEFN, but it was very interesting to be able to get my foot in the door to all those different things. For my strengths I definitely see that my communication skills have improved exponentially. Also, I would say that my time management improved greatly as well. Overall, I say that I have had a pretty good time here at CEFN and the last 6 months have been very interesting to experience to me as one of my first major job experiences in my life. My major accomplishment was developing the Digital Media Designer job description.

Gabriel Que

Former Webmaster (Fall/Winter 2021-2022)

The first co-op I had at Drexel was at CEFN, and my time working with Sherry and the other interns is a time I’ll never forget! I got many opportunities to learn and experiment with web design, and Sherry was very flexible in the ways I went about researching new technologies to integrate into the website. She also gave lots of constructive feedback which helped me map out new web pages when needed, and she was very cheerful and friendly with everyone throughout my time with the org. I’m grateful to CEFN for granting me this experience, since it’s helped me gain lots of skills that I’ve been able to transfer to other co-ops and job experiences.

Jaydeep Grewal

Former Grant Writer (Spring/Summer 2020-2021)

I have spent on co-op at the Community Enrichment Fitness Network has been an invaluable experience during which I have seen significant growth in my personal and professional development. As the grant writer, I have picked up and strengthened skills that expand beyond the bounds of my position. For starters, in this role I have furthered my grant writing experience by submitting applications from the public, institutional, and private sectors. Moreover, I have worked on my communication skills by persistently contacting professionals via phone and email to make various inquiries with the intent of garnering funding for CEFN. Beyond grant writing, I have learned about efficient marketing, event planning, and accounting skills by co-working with the other students in my cohort.

Alice Yip

Former Event Coordinator (Spring/Summer 2020-2021)

As a Drexel co-op student, I worked at CEFN as an event coordinator. Throughout my time, I had a great team to coordinate my ideas and openly present and communicate different opinions. I enjoyed the flexible time on working on various projects. Sherry was very responsive in answering questions throughout the day if help was ever needed. As an event coordinator, it helped me build my communication skills as I had to reach out to many different vendors/representatives. It also helped me expand my creativity by working on flyers and creating newsletters. After a successful event, you get great satisfaction from putting together an amazing event and helping many others in the community.

Salina Beattie

Former Social Worker (2021)

While interning for CEFN, I have to say that this has been a great experience. I was grateful to have a wonderful supervisor, Sherry Hill, who exhibited flexibility, open communication, and a great work ethic. As I look back, I can truly say that this experience will have a huge impact on my social work career. I came to CEFN optimistic and ready to soak up all the information that I could. I was able to attend workshops related to seniors and social work. I learned how to do case management, individual assessments, and follow ups with seniors. I believe that I was a great advocate for the seniors that I worked with. I exhibited patience, understanding, and respectfulness. I tried my best to be as transparent and honest about what I could help them with and some challenges that they might face. With most of my seniors, it became a give and take relationship. I was able to assess their challenges, give them advice or resources, and listen to them. In return, I was able to counsel and practice my social skills. Within the internship things that I excelled in was bringing forth a great attitude to the team. I was able to be considerate and non judgemental when discussing their circumstances. I contributed my ideas to CEFN event planning, documents, flyers, and decisions regarding CEFN. I was also present and active listening into the meetings and workshops. I thank Sherry Hill for pouring into me and I am proud to share that I recently graduated with a master degree in social work.

Chad Mestres

Former Webmaster (Fall/Winter 2020-2021)

Doing my first co-op as a webmaster for CEFN was such a great opportunity! The hours were flexible, the team that I worked with was welcoming and willing to collaborate, and most important was the opportunity to do something that made a difference for other people. I had the opportunity to make improvements to the website so that it would be easier to navigate and to update it with important information. While working for CEFN, I was able to get hands-on experience learning about a field that I was interested in and given the freedom to try new things. Overall, it was a great experience and I’m very thankful to Ms. Hill and the rest of CEFN for the opportunity to learn new skills and make a difference.

Lauren Smith

Former Event Coordinator (Spring/Summer 2019-2020)

CEFN has been an unforgettable experience for me! I am so grateful for the opportunity to have a hands-on working environment where I am encouraged to speak my ideas and be creative. CEFN events have been so rewarding in the sense that I am able to meet amazing Seniors. It is so wonderful to see the Seniors enjoy all the hard work that is put into the events. Sherry Hill has been an exceptional friend and advisor that has offered me so many job opportunities as well as life advice. CEFN is an organization that cares.

Jinny Buonfiglio

Former Administrator Assistant (Spring/Summer 2019-2020)

When I was a junior at Drexel University, I landed my first co-op experience with CEFN. Working at CEFN has been an excellent experience I will always remember. Sherry, an excellent boss, gave constructive criticism with a gentle heart. She has a strong passion for what she does, has a lovely community of individuals, and genuinely cares about her workers. Because of Sherry’s leadership, she allowed me to be more creative and trusted me with various projects, one where I rebuilt CEFN’s website on another CMS from scratch. Learning so much from CEFN and gaining this experience helped me land my first job out of college, which brought me to what I do now, digital marketing. I couldn’t be more appreciative of CEFN and Sherry Hill. Thank you.

Shaneil Barnaby

Former Social Worker (2015)

My name is Shaneil Barnaby. I am a former social work undergraduate student from La Salle University. I interned at Community Enrichment Fitness Network (CEFN) in 2015. My primary duties consisted of conducting individual assessments with home-bound clients, case management follows up, and participating in training at the Philadelphia corporation for aging and community outreach programs. The valuable skill learned from interning at the organization is working with a diverse population and addressing the needs of providing resources. I continue to do volunteer work with CEFN. One such event is the Senior Fundraising Gala. My overall experience working for this organization was pleasant.

Shari Calhoun

Former Public Relations Intern (2007)

My time as a Public Relations intern with the Community Enrichment Fitness Network was invaluable. I got to apply many of the writing and communication skills and concepts I learned in my classes to help move the organization’s mission forward. I really appreciated that the company’s leaders didn’t view me as just an intern, but an actual member of the team. They were always open to any suggestions I had. My experience at CEFN has been a highlight on my resume, and has opened the door to many professional opportunities. I would recommend any student looking to get hands-on experience in their field to intern with CEFN. It will help give you the real world experience you need to stand-out to employers in the future.