Maxfield Evers is a senior at Princeton University studying Economics with a minor in French. He specializes in domestic and international economic development and management.

Before I started my internship with the Network, I was honestly quite nervous. See, I’m a people person, I like to chat and be face-to-face with my coworkers. The Network was the first ever fully-remote organization I have ever worked for, and I questioned if I would be able to function, much less form meaningful connections, during a summer of Zoom meetings. I’ll save you the suspense, my anxiety could not have been more misplaced.

The Network proved to be exactly what it said on the tin: a network. Not only did the organization serve as a point of connection for its various member agencies, it served as a (remarkably flexible) point of connection for me while I traveled solo throughout the summer. I remember a great introduction and a fun overall energy at my first all-hands meeting, being included in important discussions even as an intern, and receiving texts from coworkers when they heard news of protests near me while I was travelling. I honestly felt more connected to the amazing people at NJHSA while an ocean away than I have with people in the cubicle next door. In terms of what inspired such a culture, it’s hard to say. It could be anything: a community emerging from a shared passion around impactful work, a great example set by compassionate leadership, little habits that make people feel welcomed, or, more likely, some combination of all of these things and more.

I’d like to thank my supervisor, Sarah Welch, and all of the other amazing people at the Network who made my experience so wonderful. While I may be leaving the Network in an official capacity, I know that NJHSA is a network through and through, one that I will be connected with for a long time to come.