According to Recruiting Trends Magazine, “Recruiting employers rate having had an internship to be more important than grade point average, leadership qualities or technical skills”, and according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 55% of all new hires have had an internship experience. Looking for some internship experience? Why not try a non-profit agency! The Service Learning Internship Program (SLIP – EDSS 239) is a credit bearing internship program for students in primarily non-profit organizations or performing community-oriented work in a for-profit agency, and encourages them to reflect upon the relationship between what they are learning at their internship site, and what impact they can have on the community. Kristi Kushmerek is a senior economics major from New Hampshire who is participating in the Service Learning Internship Program. She has spent this semester working as the Mentoring Director for Straight Talk Vermont. Kristi found her internship through friends and contacts with the DREAM program. The DREAM program is a UVM club run completely by students who volunteer their time to mentor less privileged children living in a low-income development in Winooski. Part of her responsibility includes tying together all the DREAM programs. Kristi explained that she’s been “meeting a lot of good, important people [while] expanding [her] thoughts and ideas for the DREAM program and other non-profits”. Prior to her position at with Straight Talk, she had a history of working in community service and some social work classroom experience. What has she learned from this internship? “I learned that getting anything done successfully, you have to be determined and ready to keep trying, it is hard to motivate people as much as I might be motivated.” Has her internship helped with her after-college plans? “It has made me realize that I can be happy working for an organization like the one I am interning for, and that even if I can’t find a job that has a high salary, I can be happy doing something more meaningful.” Adam Stone is a first year student from Barton, VT. His Service Learning Internship has been working with the In Your Face Gorilla Theatre on their youth staff. Adam worked with the organization during high school and so incorporating his work there during college seemed a natural step. As a Psychology/Pre-med major Adam has been learning a lot about adolescents. “It is amazing how much somebody can really learn from simply acting out real life situations,” Adam explains. He feels that the position will help him out in the future because he is “learning about people directly, in real life. Sometimes textbooks just don’t have enough words to teach about reality. Going out and meeting people is a great way to accommodate for this for any psychology major.” On top of all this, Adam said that he would like to participate in another internship with a counselor. “It is always a good idea to learn about your field of interest before you get a degree in it. Take the time and do an internship, it’s worth it, and probably will be a lot of fun.” His plan is to contact the internship coordinator at Career Services to help him. Think you might want one too? Give Career Services a call at 6-3450 Also, the DREAM program is having it’s second annual “Spring Thing” fundraiser event on Redstone green, Friday April 30th, from 4-8 pm, where you can see the mentors in action, go check it out! If you have questions or are interested in the program, contact [email protected].