Victoria Wolff, Internship Coordinator, Program Management and Oversight
In my role as Whitman’s Internship Coordinator, I am responsible for program management and oversight of several important internship initiatives. One of them is our signature, yearlong Community Fellow program, an initiative that funds a cohort of juniors and seniors to spend an academic year working part-time at a prominent Walla Walla organization to address some of the area’s social, economic and cultural challenges.
This year the group of seven Community Fellows exemplifies the multitude of interests Whitman students have. They all work on very different projects ranging from print making, to improving outdoor recreation opportunities in the area, to offering legal aid to in-need residents. While Ward, Claire, Ashley, Jesus, Emily, Arika, and Maya have different passions, are pursuing very different majors here at Whitman, and their internships couldn’t be more varied, they have more in common than you would think: they all exemplify the importance of student engagement outside of the classroom.
A recent study carried out by Gallup and Purdue University speaks to that. Students who engage in “real life” experiences outside of the classroom benefit enormously – and not just in their future career paths. The bottom line is, “the potential benefits of applied internships are numerous – these graduates are more likely to feel prepared for life, they are more likely to be employed full time for an employer and they are more likely to be engaged at work. The higher percentage of recent graduates who report taking part in these programs may be a positive sign that more students – and colleges and employers – are beginning to realize the value of these experiences.”¹
Not too long ago Lisa Perfetti, Associate Dean for Faculty Development, and Kendra Golden, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, visited one of the weekly Community Fellow meetings to discuss the implications and importance of the students’ internships. They were interested in the connections between academic coursework and work for the Community Partner, the relationship between the students’ Fellowships and their future career plans, and the ability to incorporate an element of community-based learning into more classes here at Whitman. What students had to say about their work was quite impressive and speaks to the value of student engagement and applied internships.
For Claire, who works for INK-OUT – a free Tattoo Removal Project, there is a lot of overlap between her classes and the work she is doing. She said, “Many of the individuals I am working with have had rough childhood experiences and lack social support. This relates to the many psych courses I am currently taking, particularly educational psychology and our discussion of ACES (adverse childhood experiences).”
Maya Abramson ’15
The same is true for Maya, a music theory major at Whitman and Fellow at the Walla Walla Symphony. During her Fellowship Maya teaches music to high school students and is also working on a project to bring music into local hospitals. Her role as a teacher, she explained, also influences her ability to learn from her Professors here at Whitman.
Jesus Chaparro ’15
Jesus, who is a Fellow at Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts (CSI), sees a very strong relationship between his classes and the work he is doing right now. “My work at Crow’s Shadow ties directly into one of my art-aspirations. I have been a print-shop assistant here at Whitman for 3 years, and I saw CSI as an opportunity to expand on the skill-set I’ve built here in a professional, real art-world situation.” What he is currently learning at Crow’s Shadow can also benefit other students. If given the chance to share his experiences in the classroom he adds, “I can easily and confidently lecture on most of the common print processes (Screenprint, Litho, Lino/woodcut, Intaglio); from materials, to set-up, to printing, and trouble-shooting.”
But there’s more. Internships also ignited Fellows’ interest in taking other classes and pursue fields they haven’t explored yet. Some would like to be able to take more economic classes – ideally teaching them how to start and run a non-profit. Ward, who is working for the Blue Mountain Action Council Legal Aid Pro Bono Program points out, “I would love to take more classes directed toward towards social justice within the legal field. I think such a course, perhaps in the sociology department, would help students to understand the barriers individuals face when attempting to interact with the legal system. I imagine this course would involve reading various accounts/ethnographies of individuals who have tried and failed to interact with the legal system.”
Emily Ford ’15
Additionally, the connections students are able to make during their time as Fellows are significant. They are able to grow their network, learn from professionals in their fields, and get to know people that work in the areas they want to pursue. Emily, who is a Fellow at the Community Council said, “I’ve met many people who work in the industry that I am interested in pursuing post-graduate. Not only have I been able to meet many inspiring people in the community, but I also hope those connections will continue.”
Arika Wieneke ’15
The same is true for Ashley and Arika. As a Community Fellow for the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, Ashley is meeting new people every day: business owners, local politicians, and professionals who are invested in her Local Improvement District (LID) project. And Arika, who is working for the Health Center at Lincoln, said she is able to connect with many professionals in her field. These students benefit immensely from the types of relationships – both in terms of their future academics and future career plans.
Finally, the Fellows expressed interest in having community-based projects as part of their classes. As Maya points out, it is the real-life application of the theory taught in the classroom that enables students to “use” their knowledge and put it into action. Community-based learning would allow for such hands-on experiences – and the opportunities are manifold. At the Community Council alone students of many different majors could get engaged. The CC’s interdisciplinary studies would be suitable for “politics, sociology, or psychology students and others who’s major or interest specifically fits the study,” Emily says. More importantly, community-based learning would support the community of Walla Walla. As one student highlights, it is important “that any community-based project would firstly be helping the community and the organization with which a student is working, and secondly be an academic project.”
¹ http://www.gallup.com/poll/179516/useful-internships-improve-grads-chances-full-time-work.aspx