We recently met up with three young professionals in our community to ask them their thoughts on internships and the benefits of joining organizations like NEWIEE. This is what they had to say…

Molly Lyons, Eversource Community Relations Intern
Molly is a University of New Hampshire graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a minor in Business Administration.

“How have internships or early career experiences shaped your path in energy or environment, and how has the NEWIEE network supported your journey and future opportunities?”

My experience as an intern on Eversource’s Community Relations team has given me a clearer vision of what I want my future career to look like. The supportive community and culture here at Eversource are opening the door to meaningful opportunities for professional and personal growth and exploration. 

From supporting Eversource’s charitable giving programs to its efforts to attract and retain talent, my hands-on experience with different departments across the company is fostering a holistic understanding of how each business area throughout the company plays a role in serving our customers and communities. 

After learning more about NEWIEE and Eversource’s long-standing support of its work to elevate the voices of women and drive greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the energy and environmental sectors, I’m confident for what’s to come in the future. Seeing women in leadership positions is empowering—especially as a young woman just joining the energy workforce.

Manjulika Das, Clean Energy Professional
Manjulika is an Environmental Policy graduate of The Fletcher School at Tufts University. She is a climate and energy professional passionate about policy, project management, and stakeholder engagement, with hands-on experience across diverse organizations.

“Internships are often a launchpad. What made yours valuable—and how has being part of the NEWIEE community continued to shape your professional growth?”

Last summer, I joined the Alliance for Climate Transition (ACT) as their Policy and Government Affairs intern. The opportunity to learn about clean energy policy within a regional context at ACT was an exciting prospect, and perfectly complemented my policy education at The Fletcher School at Tufts, where I was completing my Master’s degree at the time. I was fortunate to have mentors (NEWIEE members themselves!) within my team that encouraged and valued my contributions, made the time to speak with me extensively about my interests, and connected me with important individuals in the field. Throughout my internship with ACT, I was struck by the intricacies of policy and advocacy work – the balancing of interests, the importance of relationships, and the collective effort behind getting policies passed. I came away with a deeper understanding of how sound policy is essential to advancing the technologies needed for a decarbonized energy future.

During this time, I attended “Women Shaping the Agenda: Breaking Barriers, Building Resilience” hosted by NEWIEE. The stories shared by thoughtful women leaders on this panel made an indelible mark. I was grateful for the space created that evoked such genuine and vulnerable anecdotes that could help women, and particularly young women of color, to find their confidence to make impactful contributions in often male-dominated spaces. 

The community I’ve found in NEWIEE is one worth fostering—not only for the impact it has had on my career growth, but also for the support it continues to provide during challenging times in the renewables industry.

Olive Nye,  Environmental Science and Public Policy, Harvard ’27; Growth Team at Base Power (Texas) Intern
Olive is a rising junior at Harvard studying Environmental Science and Public Policy. She’s spending her summer as an intern on the growth team at Base Power Company in Texas. She’s originally from Oregon, and previously interned as a Strategic Energy Management intern through the Energy Trust of Oregon. Olive is passionate about climate tech, grid innovation, and the intersection of ocean-based technologies and marine conservation.

“Looking back, how did an internship shape your career path in energy or environment? And how has the NEWIEE network supported your journey since?”

Through NEWIEE, I’ve been lucky to meet women leading across the energy industry who’ve taken time to share their journeys and wisdom with me. These leaders have been my role models, inspiring me to pursue career opportunities like my current internship role at Base Power Company in Austin, Texas. Through this internship experience, I’ve learned quickly about the energy industry by working within it, seeing firsthand how impactful innovation in this sector can be. I’ve been challenged to channel and trust my creativity, think critically to form ideas in which I have high conviction, and to continuously reflect to find ways I can become more impactful. I look forward to bringing these learnings with me into my future experiences with NEWIEE.

“What role did early career experiences—like internships or co-ops—play in helping you find your path? How did NEWIEE connections support your next steps?”

NEWIEE has been fundamental to my career exploration as a student. The network has served as my window into the professional world, expanding my conception of how women can lead in the energy and environment spaces and offering me a community of people ready to mentor, support, and inspire. Each individual in NEWIEE has met me with empathy and has challenged me to believe in my capability to make a difference.