Summer Intern Spotlight | Haylee Horn

We are pleased to spotlight Haylee Horn who joins the 540Team as our Grants Research Intern for Summer 2020

About Haylee 

Haylee Horn is a rising senior at the University of Rochester majoring in linguistics and minoring in psychology and Russian. She spends a lot of her free time involved with community service organizations, serving as the president of the UR chapter of Students Helping Honduras and is a brother of the Mu Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national co-ed community service fraternity. After graduating, Haylee hopes to attend graduate school to work towards a masters degree in social work and eventually have a career working in the nonprofit sector.

Tell us about yourself. Where were born? How old are you? How many siblings do you have?

HH: I was born in Des Moines, Iowa and grew up in Leon, Iowa. I am 20 years old, and am turning 21 in June! I have a huge family and grew up with three younger siblings and two older step-siblings. 

What is your current major and why did you choose this path?
HH: I am a linguistics major at the University of Rochester. I chose linguistics because I’ve always been interested in language, and this allowed me to study a different side of it. 

What do you plan to do post graduation?
HH: After graduation, I’m hoping to go to grad school to get a masters in social work, and eventually continue my career working with nonprofits.

How are you coping and staying well during this pandemic? How has COVID-19 impacted your personal and college life?

HH: The thing that has helped me the most during this time is finding ways to stay busy. Along with my online classes, I’ve been watching Smallville on Hulu, catching up on laundry, and I learned how to cross stitch from YouTube. My first project was a bee!

What made you interested in an internship at 540WMain?
HH: I think education is the most important resource people have, and I was excited to get involved with an organization that places so much emphasis on educating the Rochester community on the issues people face every day and how to deal with those issues.

What do you hope to bring to 540WMain through this internship experience?
HH: I am just hoping to be a valuable member of the team and help further the mission of 540WMain in any way that I can.

What are you most excited about for this internship?
HH: I’m excited to get to know the people I’ll be working with and hear about their experiences working for a nonprofit. I want to learn what they do in their positions and how their experiences benefit them in their work.

What do you like most about living/attending school in Rochester?
HH: I’ve gotten to meet so many incredible people since moving to Rochester. I’ve gotten to meet people from so many different places and with so many different backgrounds, and I think this is something I might not have been able to experience had I not left my hometown.

What do you like least about living/attending school in Rochester?
HH: The clouds! I really miss the sun when it disappears for the winter.

What do you feel is the most challenging aspect of being a full-time college student?

HH: Time management is definitely a skill that I was lacking when I started school here, and it’s one that I’m still working on. Juggling school, work, on-campus organizations, and a personal life is hard work, but it’s so worth it.

What is your greatest fear? How do you plan to overcome that fear?
HH: I’m always scared of failing when I try new things, but I have to do them anyway if I want any chance of succeeding.

What is it that inspires you as a young professional?
HH: All the incredible people that I get to meet with every new experience.

What advice do you have for those entering college for the first time?
HH: Get involved in things that get you off campus and learn more about the community you are in.

If you could go back in time what would you tell your freshman self?

HH: Don’t stress too much! Take care of yourself and the rest will fall into place.

If you could wish for a super power what power would you wish for and why?

HH: The ability to manipulate time. Who doesn’t wish they had more hours in the day to do the things they want?

During these uncertain times a 540Monthly Membership ensures that 540WMain is able to create multi-media content, virtual classes, and educational programming rooted in and taught from a social justice and anti-racism perspective. If you love 540WMain consider becoming a 540Monthly member for a little as $3/month.