Hi, I’m Audrey Campbell and I'm The Goldfinch Foundation’s summer intern. I’m studying International Studies and German at American University’s School of International Service. I have a passion for creative writing, traveling, and global affairs of a wide variety. I have traveled to 28 countries and have published three books. This fall semester, I will be studying and interning in Brussels, Belgium in a program focusing on NATO and the European Union. I am extensively grateful for the opportunity to work with Liz and the GFF this summer.
In February, I was sitting in my dorm room scouring the internet in search of summer internships…and well, there were a lot of things that didn’t sound great. And some things did look great, except, I unfortunately don’t have a PhD, an MD, or a license to operate heavy machinery on the next mission to Mars.
I just wanted to be a part of something worthwhile and to learn…something.
When The Goldfinch Foundation was just getting started, Liz spoke to an organization my mom and brother were a part of, YMSL. My mom called me and told me she thought the mission of the GFF connected to me because she knows how much I care about mental wellness. I was intrigued.
My mom encouraged me to reach out to Liz and then we met at Starbucks to go over details. We agreed to meet in May to hit the ground running. And the rest is history!
This summer, I’ve learned about QuickBooks, HubSpot, Shopify, Canva, mass emails, grant writing, event planning, panel assembling, and researching topics to distill into social media posts. I’ve had the opportunity to learn first hand about the ins and outs of a non profit and what it looks like to be a part of a young organization with plans for constant growth.
I’ve also learned why the GFF is so important.
I’ve lived through my own mental health struggles and watched others go through their own. And this summer, I’ve realized that I wish more people had the privilege to be a part of the GFF. What young people need is not more motivational quotes (although I do love them) and people telling us to choose happiness all day every day, we need solutions and we need to realize that, as Liz says, nothing changes if nothing changes.
By giving young people more power through actionable solutions, relevant scientific information, and a community that encourages vulnerability, the widespread sense of helplessness and inevitability that so many are familiar with can fade.
I’m proud to say that I’ve been a part of the GFF and I have felt lucky to have a summer internship that I love because I know not everyone is lucky.
Throughout our many conversations, Liz has converted me into a bird lady. I severely underestimated how much her love of birds would influence me, but here we are a few months later, and I now check my bird feeder app to see which birds stopped by every morning, well before I open Instagram. I have now found myself invested in the avian politics going on in my backyard.
From the bald-headed bully of a bluejay that seems to have a priority membership to the birdfeeder, the cardinal pair that gift one another tiny twigs daily atop the fence, and more brown thrashers than I knew existed that eat bird seed dramatically with the power of their whole bodies, it has become somewhat of a nature tv. Except I find myself wondering if this is how it was supposed to be all along.
I’m not sure the human brain was ever designed for the level of constant input we have in the current day with technology on our walls, wrists, and in our pockets and ears. I really do think we should all go outside more and I think for a large part of my life I underestimated the power of that. And for me, making more time to go outside and notice has made a positive difference.
As I head to Brussels to study abroad this upcoming semester, I will take what I’ve learned, both in hard and soft skills, with me. And yes, I’ll still be a bird lady, I’ll just be looking for European Goldfinches instead.
I first met Audrey Campbell in 2010, when she was just five years old. Her mom, Julie, had enrolled Audrey and her brother in a Kindermusik class at Vanderbilt’s School of Music. I was there with my own family—Jeff, Izzy, Owen, Charlie, and me. Every Tuesday, we all were playing shakers, drums, and bells, singing and dancing in a room of chaotic energy! Shout out to Miss Amy! I never would have imagined our paths would cross again 14 years later.
Soon after Owen died last year, Julie came to one of my talks about the GFF. She said her daughter, Audrey, would be a great fit for our mission. She was right!
Fast-forward to this summer, and Audrey has been our incredible college intern. She’s caring, intelligent, creative, curious, thoughtful, organized, and wise beyond her years. She’s helped with everything from event planning to grant writing, and so many of our conversations have inspired the blogs and social media posts we’ve shared with you.
After losing Owen, having Audrey join us felt like more than an internship—it was a reminder of the way connections in life can come full circle in the most meaningful ways.
Audrey, I’ve told you before that I think you might run a country one day. You have so many talents, a passion for life, and a curiosity that knows no bounds. I’ll be cheering you on from here as you head to Europe on your next life adventure!
