Count Your Blessings
February 11, 2026My Time As An Intern At HVAF
My time as an HVAF Intern:
My name is Casey Walls, and I recently served as the Marketing Intern at HVAF, beginning last August. It has always been a goal of mine to be part of an organization that has a positive impact on the community, so when I was searching for an internship for the fall semester, HVAF had my attention.
I am a senior at the University of Louisville, where I will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Administration. Growing up in Louisville, I have been a lifelong Cardinal fan, so choosing to attend the university felt like the perfect choice.
When I started at HVAF, I had no idea what to expect. However, I began to see the amazing work environment this organization provides daily. During my first week at HVAF, I had the opportunity to meet faculty from every department, which helped me understand all the different individuals who contribute to making HVAF such an important nonprofit.
Throughout this internship, I have gained a variety of Marketing & Communication skills that will carry me into an entry-level position in the future. It was very eye-opening to be able to interact with our veterans and listen to each one of their unique experiences. I realized early on in my internship that no two veteran stories are alike.
The two memorable stories that I got to be a part of involve Victor, who went from being a Vetworks intern to a full-time HVAF employee, and Al, who is currently on a journey towards mental stability.
My favorite part of my time here at HVAF is getting the chance to tell these impactful stories of our veterans in the hope of grabbing the attention of others who could benefit from HVAF’s resources. When telling these stories, it was an honor to tell the veterans that “your story matters.”
Early on, I had the opportunity to volunteer at HVAF’s food pantry, which allowed me to interact directly with the veterans we serve. A real eye-opening experience was taking a ride along with our Outreach coordinator, Rodney Jackson, to multiple homeless camps. It was impactful seeing these camps that are just walking distance away from Lucas Oil Stadium and other places around the Indianapolis area.
During this internship, I have gained a fondness for photography, which I got to put new skills to use at events such as Stand Down, our annual resource fair, and Operation Alpha, where we raised $220,000 for veterans in need.
I also had the opportunity to attend the Indiana Pacers’ annual “come to our house” dinner hosted by Aaron Neismith. This event allowed a number of our veterans to have a good Thanksgiving-themed meal that was served by people from both the Pacers and Indiana Fever organizations. It was amazing being able to meet players such as Tyrese Haliburton and Sophie Cunningham. The highlight of the event was getting the chance to see the veterans who attended get to interact with the players and have an amazing time.
Looking back at my time here at HVAF, it has been everything I hoped for in an internship experience. I gained experience that I can apply to my future career while also contributing to a meaningful cause.
After graduation, I plan to continue my schooling and start working on obtaining my master’s degree in marketing at the University of Louisville or another local college. I have no doubt I will be able to apply the skills I’ve learned during my internship at HVAF towards my future career.