Major: Communication Arts and Sciences
Minor: Women's Studies
Hometown: Abington, PA

How did you learn about this opportunity?

I found the opportunity on the Penn State Job Board.

Tell us a little bit about your experience.

I’m currently working as an intern in the new Student Engagement Network Internship Program at Penn State. I’m part of the first cohort of interns, and the Network itself is still in it’s beginning phases of development. If you are a Penn State student, the chances are that you haven’t yet heard of the Student Engagement Network, but you are likely to in the coming semester as things within the Network become solidified. As an intern, working at the forefront of this development is very exciting for me. I am able to see the decision-making processes that make an organization like this go from concept to reality. Specifically, I am doing a lot of work within The Grant Program, The Engagement Space, and the SEN website and app.

How did this experience impact you academically?

My major, Communication Arts and Sciences, is extremely broad, and I chose that deliberately. Through my studies within the Communication Arts and Sciences department I have obtained a lot of skills and learned a lot of theory surrounding interpersonal communication, rhetoric, deliberation, and organizational structure. This internship has given me the opportunity to put those skills and theory into practice, and figure out where the lines between academia and practice lie. As I head into my senior year at Penn State, I am excited to reevaluate the impact my academics have on my career now that I have some tangible experience to compare them to.

As I head into my senior year at Penn State, I am excited to reevaluate the impact my academics have on my career now that I have some tangible experience to compare them to.

What are your career goals and plans?  How did this experience impact them?

Although my career plans are very much up in the air, being involved in student organizations at Penn State have given me a sincere interest in higher education, particularly within the context of student activities and student engagement. This internship has been my first experience actually working in a student activities office, and although I still am not sure about my future plans, I feel very optimistic about the possibility of working full-time in higher education and/or student activities in the future.

Would you recommend this experience to other Liberal Arts students?

I would recommend the SEN internship for anyone looking to explore higher education or student engagement. I have been given the opportunity to continue my work throughout the school year, and I there are a multitude of other benefits to forming relationships with those who manage the student activities sector of Penn State.