Interning through Community Work and Learning
Searching for an internship can be difficult. You’re not sure where to look, if it will pay, or if you’ll just end up being the coffee girl. Luckily, I was introduced to St. Catherine University’s Community Work and Learning office, which provides full-time students with unique work experience programs for pay. The Community Leaders program that I am currently taking part in uses its long held, exclusive St. Catherine University connections with well-known nonprofits to pair St. Kate’s students in their sophomore, junior, or senior year with meaningful, real world internships.
My Internship Experience
I am currently interning with Small Sums, an amazing nonprofit organization that assists individuals who are homeless with obtaining the proper materials and work attire needed to rejoin the workforce. Small Sums is not the only amazing organization that the Community Leaders program offers. St. Kate’s has extensive relationships with nonprofits from all over St. Paul, who prefer capable and reliable Katies.
Why Become A Community Leader?
I know a lot of students dismiss taking on an internship because internships can take up a lot of our time and most internships don’t pay anything. With the St. Kate’s Community Leaders program, you can complete an internship during the school year while you complete your degree. The internships are only 10-12 hours per week, leaving you plenty of time to focus on school work and/or work at another job. I’m able to work at my main job while taking four classes because of how flexible the hours are. Internships look great on a résumé and this program helps you to accomplish an amazing looking résumé by guaranteeing you will be performing tasks that have meaningful and transferable work skills you can talk about in a job interview. And the best part of all: You get paid to do it!
The entire Community Leaders program is through the St. Catherine University Community Work and Learning office. You sign up and interview all on campus, where you are paired with the nonprofit organization that fits you best. You will be paid and given countless connections and guidance through this program.
I know a lot of organizations don’t understand that you are a full-time student and therefore have other responsibilities. The St. Catherine University Community Leaders program, while highly challenging and engaging, will recognize you as a student first. Your education is of the utmost importance at St. Kate's and adding a unique, paid internship opportunity like this one will enhance it even more.
Maddison Rucci, Communication Studies