Internships are known as great opportunities for students to gain insight into their future careers, learn more about the working world, and start networking before they even graduate. But could they be something more?

This summer, UMBC students found that their internships could also enable them to profoundly impact local communities. While many Retrievers traveled to internships across the nation and the world—from Google in California to Grameen Bank in Bangladesh—others were focused on having an impact closer to UMBC’s Baltimore home.

UMBC students served as interns with non-profit organizations, government agencies, and companies essential to the Baltimore’s infrastructure, economy, and culture.

Rosa Rada ’17, interdisciplinary studies, helped improve community health through her internship with Baltimore City Health Department’s Baltimarket, which works to ensure food access throughout the city. “What I loved most about my position is that I was working for a program that was community-based and community-driven,” she said. “I was doing the work that I am most passionate about, in a city that I love dearly.”

In a survey of 2015 summer interns, UMBC’s Career Center found that over 70% of participating students increased their awareness of civic responsibility as a result of their internship and over 90% gained a deeper understanding of their career goals.

“We truly believe that internships can have a transformational effect, both for the students completing them and the communities in which they are working,” shared Kerry Kidwell-Slak, associate director of internships and employment at UMBC’s Career Center. “In these experiences, students are able to apply and test theories discussed in the classroom, and communities benefit from the new perspectives the students bring.”

Rachel Albert ’18, English and social work, worked to help asylum seekers adjust to life in the United States through her internship at the International Rescue Committee this summer. “I've really enjoyed the knowledge that what I'm doing, whether it's escorting clients to the hospital, talking with them, or making phone calls on their behalf, aids them as they begin their new life in Baltimore,” she said.

When interns engage with their community, employers take notice. “I would strongly recommend a UMBC intern to anyone wanting to provide a professional experience to impressive students ready and willing to jump into whatever is thrown at them,” said Tyler Stoddard, a case manager at the International Rescue Committee.

Meet some of UMBC’s summer interns, committed to making a difference in Baltimore!

To read more internship stories, check out #UMBCintern!

You can change the world! Our graduates have gone on to careers in politics, law, public service, social work, teaching, and yes, of course, medicine and scientific research. GWST trains you to read carefully, think complexly, and argue passionately. You will gain skills that will help you ace the LSAT and GRE, write a killer application essay for jobs, fellowships, and graduate school, and demonstrate to employers that you know how to work well in today’s diverse workplace. Far more importantly, though, a major in GWST sets you up for a lifetime of questioning hard, thinking deeply, and figuring out how to make real changes in the world around you—a life worth living. 

MNCHA 2015 conference took place today at the PIER 5 hotel in Baltimore MD. This hotel is right at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore with beautiful views. Mr. AlHuwail and Dr. Koru attended the conference. Health IT Lab at UMBC had a display table. Dr. Koru presented the research findings about data analytics for quality improvement in home care. More pictures to follow.

Posted on September 15, 2015 by besskeller