Sage Whipple recently joined MEDLIFE as an intern. She is from Ojai California and studied Business Administration at Northeastern Universtity.

How did you get involved with MEDLIFE?

I had a connection through a friend that knows a MEDLIFE staff member and was able to configure an internship that worked with my school’s cooperative education program.

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I’m from a small town in California and I’m currently a third year in university with an interest in pursuing a career in social entrepreneurship. This is the fourth continent I’ve worked in, and I hope to increase that experience in the future. I love hiking, the ocean, and exploring new places.

Why did you decide to become an intern?

I really wanted to gain exposure working in a nonprofit organization abroad in a field I had limited experience in, and MEDLIFE seemed like the perfect opportunity to work with passionate people working to create sustainable change. I want to take the experience I gain here into the remainder of my studies and into my career beyond that.

What was your first impression of Lima?

I immediately found it to be a busy place with a distinct personality. In my first day in Lima, I explored the area, sweat a lot in the summer heat, and took a salsa class. I’m excited to continue to immerse myself in the lively culture of the city and eat a lot of good food.

What are your goals for this internship?

In addition to becoming more comfortable with my Spanish and helping communities through my work with MEDLIFE, I hope to end this internship with a better understanding of working within a nonprofit and a more defined understanding of the skills and passion I can bring into my future experiences. I want to better learn how to be a catalyst for change and take my own unique perspective and skill set into every situation and organization I work with.