Written by Kim Allman | Head of Corporate Responsibility and Public Policy
At Gen, we believe Cyber Safety and Social Impact share a common goal. They’re both about making the world a safer, more sustainable and ultimately freer place for everyone. As these two fields continue to grow and change, we were thrilled to have insight from the next generation of social impact professionals through our summer internship program.
Our summer interns work at the intersection of where Social Impact and cybersecurity meet: leading research projects, contributing to our social impact report, organizing volunteer events, attending professional development workshops and so much more.
This year was no different. Jaclyn Reynolds, our Corporate Responsibility intern and a newly minted graduate of Arizona State University’s Sustainable Solutions Master’s program, has spent the last several months working on a host of Social Impact projects.
To hear more about her experience, we asked Jaclyn about some of the highlights from her summer, what social impact means to her, and how her work with Gen will fit into her growing career.
Before we get into some of the specific work you’ve done this summer, can you tell us why you wanted to pursue an internship in Social Impact and what drew you to Gen’s work in powering digital freedom?
JR: First of all, on a personal level, Social Impact emphasizes all of the areas I have a passion for: community engagement, environmentalism, inclusive workplaces, and so on. I was eager to gain experience in ESG reporting, developing strategies to minimize impact, and analyzing the data that informs these efforts.
Second, cybersecurity intersects with Social Impact in very deep ways. I think about it as having two sides: On the one hand, as our world becomes more and more online, it becomes more important to safeguard the institutions that power our societies. Nonprofits and government systems increasingly run on digital tools, and protecting them is critical for serving our communities and for building trust.
It’s also about empowering individuals to keep themselves safe. Gen does a lot of work educating young people and vulnerable populations on Cyber Safety, and I’ve gotten to see firsthand how those programs advance equality.
What were some of the projects you worked on? And what were some of your favorite moments from the summer?
JR: Working on the Social Impact Report was a great way to work in a lot of different areas. I looked at company data on emissions, as well as social impacts and governance as we prepared for the report and CDP. I also organized volunteer events for me and the other Gen interns: one virtual, one in Mountain View and one in Tempe. In Mountain View, we worked with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley to provide nutritious food to people in the community facing hunger. The Tempe event was with Project C.U.R.E., where the interns sorted donated medical supplies to be shipped to countries in the third world. I loved getting to see how these events created not only a positive impact on local communities but also on the company culture.
It was also wonderful to meet and work with so many other great interns!
To hear from a few of our other interns, check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHbc35Nzkyw
Finally, what does social impact mean to you outside of work? Are you involved with any causes or volunteer activities?
JR: I view sustainability as more than just a career—it’s a way of life. I’ve volunteered with Trees for Tucson, where I helped plant trees in low-income communities, contributing to the creation of sustainable, welcoming environments. I also advocate for climate action by regularly writing letters to policymakers. Social impact really resonates with me, and I plan to continue to work on it, whether through enhancing my surroundings or creating meaningful connections.
Although our summer internships are coming to an end, Gen is always looking for passionate and purpose-driven people. Visit our Careers page to learn more about how you can grow your career, help power Digital Freedom, and have a positive impact on the world around us.
