A letter from President Phipps

Early in my career as a professor of communication at Malone College, I had the opportunity to supervise students who enrolled in a majors internship course. One of the students told me her reservations about whether she would “learn anything” from working for a local public relations professional. The student lamented, “I have earned A’s in all my coursework and edited the campus newspaper; what can she teach me?” Her overconfidence and lack of humility troubled me, and I encouraged her to put forth her best effort. (All the while thinking about how much she needed to learn!)

Imagine how pleased I was when we met at the conclusion of the semester and the student shared her portfolio with me, which included samples of her work. She enthusiastically spoke of the improvement in her writing and design skills as well as lessons learned about working with demanding clients. Then she stated the most significant learning outcome: “Sherri’s (her supervisor’s) example of an accomplished Christian businesswoman who successfully navigates many ethical and professional challenges will stay with me forever.” My student’s internship experience not only strengthened her skills but gave her an important, up-close view of an accomplished professional.

Through Messiah College’s Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI), undergraduate students are given the important and often life-shaping opportunities to attain meaningful career development and community engagement experiences through a variety of options, including internships. (All Messiah students are required to complete the ELI, which includes the options of participating in internships, practicums, study abroad, leadership development, service learning or guided undergraduate research.)

Often, an internship further clarifies a student’s anticipated career path, perhaps even helping a student eliminate a career option they had considered. Biology major Brenda Kucha Anak Ganeng ’20 interned for a public health association one summer. Though she gained tremendous skills by learning to manage her time, to work independently and to communicate clearly and concisely with other professionals, she discovered that office work wasn’t an ideal fit for her. “I was glad that I pursued this experience because of the professional skills I earned and the knowledge of what I wanted in a career,” Ganeng said.

Laura Sollenberger ’19 had a life-changing internship experience at a hospital in Uganda. Arriving as a pre-occupational therapy student, Sollenberger observed surgeries, followed physicians and nurses, and shadowed specialists in areas as diverse as palliative care to labor and delivery. Through these experiences and interactions with patients, she discovered that nursing fit her “personal goals and innate desires for her vocation in a more complete way.” She returned, graduated with her applied health degree from Messiah and began a 16-month accelerated nursing program at Penn State Harrisburg.

“This internship was not only the 150-hour internship needed to count for my degree at Messiah, but it was also a transformative experience where I grew measurably into the health care worker that I hope to become,” she said.

Many elements go into preparing students for successful preparation for their chosen vocation, and certainly the applicable experiences of an internship are a critical piece, regardless of a student’s field of study or anticipated vocation. I am incredibly thankful for the work of our Career and Professional Development Center and their efforts to cultivate greater connection to and application of student learning to various real-world contexts. I hope you enjoy reading further in this issue about students’ interesting internship experiences.