Name: Emma Rivera

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: CASA

Major(s)/Minor(s): Psychology

Expected Graduation Year: 2014

Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service- learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

1. Assist with volunteer screening tasks such as reviewing volunteer applications, conducting reference checks, and conducting in-person volunteer interviews.
2. Attend volunteer training sessions.
3. Observe Child In Need of Assistance (CINA) court proceedings and case meetings in which CASA volunteers are involved.
4. Assist with program evaluation tasks for National CASA Association Standards Self Assessment process.
5. Read CASA cases and proof read court recommendation.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

What I have enjoyed most has been getting to learn how the process works when a child is taken out of their home and placed in foster care, and how there are organizations like CASA that are there for the child to "hold" their hand literally and mentally to whatever next step that might be.

What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?

I gained a lot of insight on what children in need of assistance go through, that the system doesn't always work but if you have advocates like CASA trying to ensure that all the steps are followed that a child might get a safe permanent home, be that it might be with their biological parent or adoptive foster parent. What I would have never of gained I believe from another internship is that volunteers really do matter and people who care go a long way for a child in need. I walked away wanting to do more and learn more how to help and advocate not only for children but to tell people to volunteer to be a CASA volunteer.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

I would definitely recommend knowing what it is that you want to learn and come out of the experience with, then vocalizing it to your supervisor for your internship. I was able to tell my supervisor that I wanted to network and pick professionals brains on what they do and their roles in the mental health association. I was able to get personable and ask them if they liked and enjoyed what they did for a living.

How do you see your experience as meaningful? This might involve skills you’ve gained, information you’ve learned, mentors you’ve connected with, or projects you’ve completed.

I feel that this experience is super meaningful because I was able to network with so many different other branches in the Mental Health organization in Frederick involving foster children. I was able to sit down and talk with Healthy Families organization and learn what they do. I was able to talk with social workers and the foster children attorneys and court appointed mediators and hear what role they play in a CINA case (Child In Need of Assistance).

Please provide a short quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.

I enjoyed having to share about what I would learn and do on a weekly basic to my professor.

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Name:  Sierra Francis

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Maryland Office of Tourism Development (MOTD)

Major(s)/Minor(s): Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communications

Expected Graduation Year: May 2015

Briefly describe your internship, co-op, research, or service- learning opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.

I write and edit editorial content for historical points of interest, attractions and destinations in Maryland that played a role during the Civil War. I later upload all of that content onto a Civil War Trails iphone application that people can use when they are going out and visiting these places. I have to do quite a bit of research for each city or town that I am required to cover. Sometimes I have to find or order images and photographs to go along with the editorials through historical societies or online public domain archives. Once I have an image I then have to edit it so that it'll fit and look nice on the app. I spent an entire shift just editing photos once. I also have to create inventories of those images on my department's database.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?

Besides the amazing history, the promotional writing is the best part. In order to write about a lot of these places I have to look up different things that are in that area that a tourist could see and do besides the historical-related things and then sum it all up. It's basically like I'm the one who's getting ready to go on a trip and I've got to find things to do there. It's a lot of fun learning about all the different towns and things they have to offer. I also love that my cubicle overlooks the Baltimore harbor. It's pretty cool that I'm getting an "ocean-view" as an intern.

What have you gained from your experience that you could not have gained from another opportunity?

I get to immerse myself in something that I love. And when you love history as much as I do, getting to see old archives and photos is like crack. I don't know how else to put it!

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Record what you get done every shift and keep your supervisor updated every day. Don't make them have to ask you anything. I consistently tell my supervisor what I've accomplished after each shift and what my next step is through a quick email before I leave. She was extremely pleased and surprised that she has never had to ask me anything, and I know it made a good impression. I don't think they always expect college kids to be so on top of things, so if you prove yourself like that it reflects extremely well on you down the line.

How do you see your experience as meaningful? This might involve skills you’ve gained, information you’ve learned, mentors you’ve connected with, or projects you’ve completed.

I'm helping to create an app that anyone in the United States can use as their own personal tour guide when they visit these historical trails and sites. And in order to do that I get to read and write about history and fun things to do in each area whenever I come in. I even get to see photos that were taken in the 1800s of people who you never really hear much about in history class or on TV...I'm not really sure what more a history-geek could ask for. It's great and I can't believe I'm getting paid for it.

Please provide a short quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / the internship placement process.

I'm just grateful that I had to opportunity to work here and it'll be an experience that I'll cherish for the rest of my life.