Summer Internship with Collective
Alexandra Retamozo, Daytime MBA 2026
This summer, I interned with Collective, a Durham-based startup that helps nonprofits transform their storytelling into recurring financial support. As an MBA Intern, I led projects that strengthened Collective’s go-to-market strategy, including building scalable outreach systems, creating tailored messaging campaigns, and planning events to connect with nonprofit leaders. My role placed me at the intersection of strategy, marketing, and innovation, giving me the opportunity to contribute to the company’s growth while supporting its mission to empower organizations making a difference in their communities.
Throughout the internship, I leaned on my background in operations and the business skills I’ve sharpened at Fuqua, particularly in marketing, structured problem-solving, and stakeholder engagement. I built a nonprofit pipeline using CRM tools and market research to help the team focus on high-potential partners. I also created content guides that empowered nonprofits to turn one-time donors into recurring supporters and applied organizational methodologies to improve Collective’s internal systems. These experiences allowed me to combine structure and efficiency with creativity, enabling the startup to expand its reach while staying true to its mission.
The internship gave me a deeper understanding of how entrepreneurial ventures balance vision with execution and how transferable skills can be adapted to new contexts. Looking ahead, I plan to carry these lessons into my career, continuing to bridge strategy and operations in ways that help organizations innovate, grow, and create lasting impact. My time at Collective reinforced my belief that strong business fundamentals, applied with empathy and creativity, can drive meaningful change at scale.
This internship was supported by the Summer Internship Fund, which enables first-year Duke MBA students to learn about the rewards and challenges of using business to drive positive impact without making a significant financial sacrifice. The program enables organizations that otherwise could not afford to hire MBA student interns to benefit from students’ expertise. Funds are raised through student fundraising and from donors who believe in the mission of the program. If you would like to contribute, you can donate online using your credit card.