CAPTAIN’S LOG 🚢

Captain’s Log – Stardate 2025.07.16

✨ “What We Learned from 800+ New Friends in 4 Ports”

Captain’s Log — July 2025

This summer, we set sail. From lakeside pizza in Toronto to a surprise-packed evening at Figma HQ in NYC, Intern Ship docked in four cities — and in each one, we discovered something powerful:

📍 The best events aren’t the biggest. They’re the ones where people feel like they belong.
📍 You don’t need fancy programming to spark connection — just a good vibe and a reason to show up.
📍 Young people everywhere are craving real-world community — and they’re ready to build it together.

Here’s what happened at each port — and what we’ll carry forward as we keep sailing.

🇨🇦 TORONTO

📍 Harbourfront Centre | June 26 | Hosted by Toronto Student Collective | Sponsored by Intern Ship

Our first-ever international port was led entirely by the incredible Toronto Student Collective (TSC). They built a pressure-free lakeside social that reminded us what student-powered community looks like.

Highlights included:
🍕 Pizza on the dock
📸 Bingo and photo challenges
😅 Group selfies featuring a now-iconic “mewing” moment
🫶 And open-hearted conversations between strangers who became fast friends

TSC showed us that when you prioritize warmth over status, belonging happens naturally. We were proud to sponsor the event and even more honored to have TSC as our first international partner.

🌲 SEATTLE

📍 A sunny field meetup | 800+ RSVPs | Led by Capt. David D’Amico

Our biggest event yet felt surprisingly intimate, and that’s thanks to Capt. David D’Amico, who brought Seattle’s intern scene together with authenticity and intention.

There were no booths, no corporate banners — just:
🧺 Snacks and lawn games
🧃 Easy, unstructured moments to meet
📣 Interns from Amazon, Microsoft, and dozens of companies just vibing in real life

Capt. David showed us that local leadership matters. When you trust someone with the mission, they bring it to life in ways you never could from afar. Seattle reminded us that the right people make all the difference.

🗽 NEW YORK CITY, STOP #1: Figma x Intern Ship

📍 Figma NYC | 150+ attendees | Craft & Create Summer Series

We kicked off our NYC adventure with a joyful, high-energy evening at Figma HQ — co-hosted as part of their Craft & Create Summer Series that brought together 150 interns and early career pros.

The room was alive with:
🎨 Custom t-shirt printing
✍️ Live portraits and typewriter poetry
🥂 Mocktails, convos, and inspiration
🎤 A behind-the-scenes look into how the Figma team builds with heart

People didn’t just come for fun — they came to create, and in the process, they connected.

One of the most moving moments of the night came from the typewriter poet, who led the room in a group writing exercise. With each prompt, attendees — engineers, designers, creators — wrote line by line until they'd unknowingly crafted a personal poem. And then, if they were brave enough, they shared it with the person beside them.

That’s the kind of connection we want to spark at every Intern Ship event:
Playful, creative, a little vulnerable — and deeply human.

🗽 NEW YORK CITY, STOP #2: Super Duper Secret Meetup

📍 SPIN NYC | 20-person curated gathering

NYC is fast, loud, and full of people — but this event slowed things down. With just 20 handpicked attendees, we hosted a casual evening that felt more like a house party for ambitious souls.

🏓 There was ping-pong, snacks, and laughter
💬 Honest convos about burnout, big dreams, and growing pains
🍽 And a spontaneous late-night dinner because no one wanted it to end

What we learned: Intimacy builds trust fast — and sometimes the most memorable moments are the ones that weren’t on the calendar.

🚢 Reflections from the Crew

Every port taught us something. Every new friend reminded us why we’re building this in the first place. The dream isn’t just about hosting great events. It’s about creating a culture — one where showing up, being real, and having fun feels like the norm, not the exception.

So to the 800+ people who came aboard this summer so far — thank you. You are the reason this ship sails.

Next stop: San Francisco.

Summer’s not over yet! Full steam ahead!

— Manny, Captain of the Intern Ship 🚢