I applied to be the charity: water multimedia production intern for two reasons. One, I’m very passionate about doing whatever I can to solve the water crisis because of my experience drilling water wells in Bolivia with the US Peace Corps. Two, I’ve studied digital media and filmmaking extensively and I wanted the opportunity to be able to use my skills in a professional setting that would be both challenging and instructional. The charity: water staff ethos towards working with interns was exactly the experience I was looking for. I instantly felt like I was a part of the team and was given responsibilities that challenged me.

My first few days were spent working on an ambitious project to personally thank 250 past and current donors. It was an all-hands-on-deck effort. Each staff member was assigned a partner and together they were assigned 8-10 videos to make. The results were amazing and continue to fuel viral views on the web and spark conversation about an organization that is willing to take on this sort of herculean task just to say thanks.

After the Thank You Campaign was “in the can” so to speak, my main task shifted to fueling charity: water’s blog with posts about notable mycharitywater campaigns. It was a true joy to be able to communicate with the folks that were out there raising awareness for the water crisis. From learning about the trials and tribulations of Whitney Henderson’s run across the US to getting insight into a couple’s love for photography to meeting a boy with the compassion of ten thousand men, I was given hope that if we all do our small part, we can change the world for the better.

I also had the distinct honor of photographing the Fall 2011 Intern class, a group that I got to know well over the course of the semester. It was a blast asking them a bunch of questions — ranging from serious to absurd — and then curating their answers into one massive post. Not only were they an incredibly photogenic group, but they were all very kind and I’m proud to call them my friends. I’ll always reflect fondly on our days across from each other at the “Intern Table.” I wish them all great success in whatever path they take.

The culmination of my experience was the privilege of shooting the charity: ball, an event that raised more than $2.5 million in a single night for clean water initiatives around the world.

Witnessing the collaboration and dedication from all of the employees and the willingness from volunteers and interns to go the extra mile made it apparent that charity: water is here to stay. Scott Harrison, the CEO and founder of charity: water, had an immediate and mathematically resolute response when I asked him if the water crisis could be solved. “Yes,” he said. “It’s a matter of money and will.” It’s incredibly motivating to work along side a man so dedicated that he can see past the malaise of challenges certain to challenge him over the coming decades and straight to the end-game.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Mo Scarpelli, my mentor during the internship. She taught me a great deal about div tags and f-stops. We had great conversations about media ethics and editing strategy. Mo, you are a true joy to work for and with. Cheers!

Check out Scott’s story about why he does what he does in an interview with Tech Crunch here>