Joe Pement ’19 (far right) and friends at his summer internship with WQPT, Quad Cities public television

News

How a priceless, non-paying internship works

August 15, 2018

More than 150 Augustana students had internships this summer. Some stayed local, others crossed states, and some traveled to cities such as London, Tokyo or even Kathmandu.

Students can use Augie Choice—a $2,000 grant for research, study abroad or an internship—toward a non-paying but valuable internship experience. Augustana also works to make sure interns have access to other funding sources; one example is the Illinois Cooperative Work Study grant through the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE).

For 2018-19, IBHE awarded the college nearly $36,650.00 to support Augustana student interns—most at Quad Cities-area businesses and organizations. Leslie Scheck, Augustana’s associate director of career advising and education in CORE, helped connect employers with students for IBHE grant-funded internships.

Darielle Sherrod ’19 interned with the Rock Island County Health Department, where she worked with patients of different ages, genders and races/ethnicities. With a major in public health and minors in communication studies and sociology, she has her eye on graduate school to become a community health specialist and clinical social worker.

Sherrod called her internship “a great site to triple dip in all my areas of study.”

Through CORE, Augie Choice and connections to other career resources, Augustana helps students to align their education with everything else the world can offer them.

Other internship sites included John Deere Corporation, Niabi Zoo, the QC Botanical Center, World Relief and more. Most interns used their IBHE funding for living expenses.

For political science and English major Alexis Ryckaert ’20, that included new clothing. Her internship with Rock Island County’s MetroLINK mass transit called for business-casual attire. But Ryckaert only had two outfits she considered to be acceptable, so she used some of her IBHE money to purchase “office-friendly attire and complete the internship appropriately.”

At first unsure about working in her own office as a research and analysis intern, Ryckaert enjoyed it so much it’s changing her ideas about another internship she’ll have in her senior year, in Washington, D.C.

“I am considering asking for placement at the American Public Transportation Association, so I may have both the federal and local perspective when it comes to public transit,” she said.

Ryckaert discovered something she might never have found without her MetroLINK internship—a new passion for the benefit of mass transit to communities. She sees her internship experiences leading to a rewarding full-time job after graduating.

Internships are valuable in multiple ways. Not only do students learn career skills, they can learn so much about themselves. Through CORE, Augie Choice and connections to other career resources, Augustana helps students to align their education with everything else the world can offer them.

Ashley Talken (top right) was an intern at Spring Forward Learning Center. She is a senior from Wheeling, Ill., majoring in elementary education.

Thao Chu was in Madrid, Spain, completing an internship at WasabiJobs. She is a senior from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, majoring in international business, accounting and business administration-finance.

Hannah Miller interned at Niabi Zoo. She is a senior from Pana, Ill., majoring in biology.

Alyssa Molina was an intern at Therapy Care in Batavia, Ill. She is a senior from Naperville, Ill., majoring in communication sciences and disorders and Spanish for professional use.

Emily Uglem was a marketing intern at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, S.D.. She is a senior from Fargo, N.D., majoring in business-administrative marketing and business-administrative management.

Jason Pacanowski was a marketing intern at Mediacom this summer in the Quad Cities. He is a senior from Plainfield, Ill., majoring in English with a writing emphasis, and business administration/marketing.

Yemurai Mapurisa was an intern at PwC in Chicago this summer. She is a senior from Harare, Zimbabwe, majoring in political science and accounting.

Travis Pulse was an intern at the QC Botanical Center this summer. He is a junior from Milan, Ill., majoring in environmental studies.

Laura Hogan — Lauren Hogan was the Project Nest intern for Junior Board of Rock Island. Project Nest is a prenatal education and incentive program. Hogan is a senior from Rock Island majoring in biology.

Marissa Schmidt was a digital marketing associate at Paul Gregory Media in Naperville, Ill. She is completing an internship and will start full-time with the company this fall. She graduated in May with a degree in business administration/marketing.

Darielle Sherrod was a public health intern at the Rock Island County Health Department. She is a senior from Matteson, Ill., majoring in public health.

Allison Shire, left, was a marketing intern at Praire Capital Advisors in Oakbrook, Ill. Here, she is representing the organization at a conference. She is a senior from Wheaton, Ill., majoring in business administration/marketing and economics.

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