Nonprofit Internships Provide Hands-on Experience
College is an exciting time for many students, providing them endless opportunities to learn who they are and who they want to become. Their years spent in university allows them to expand their academic pursuits, compete for athletic glory, develop lifelong friendships, and explore their interests through student organizations and clubs. At the end of their time, students embark into their initial jobs and careers, ready to take the knowledge they have acquired and put it to use. One critical step in achieving this first job is the hands-on experience they have obtained while accomplishing their degree, often through internships.
Internships are a vital experience for young professionals. They allow students to learn about their field of interest, develop a network of mentors and peers, and prepare skills that they can speak to during job interviews. Gallup has shown that college students who are able to participate in internships or jobs relevant to their career path while pursuing their degree are more than twice as likely to obtain a job when they graduate. College students in both Isabella and Gratiot Counties are afforded local, state and even national internship opportunities throughout their various programs. Central Michigan University offers over 5,000 internship opportunities, including international experiences, and Alma College provides micro-internships (20-40 hour professional projects) in addition to out-of-state academic internships in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington D.C.
United Way strives to support and empower students at all stages in their educational journey, especially those in our own communities. This is why United Way has held a formal intern position within our organization to ensure that college students can gain the valuable experience they need for their future endeavors. Interns are able to gain knowledge and skills in program development, communications, governance and management, fundraising and more.
Kaitlin Otteman served as the Impact Intern from September 2023 through May 2024. She is a junior at Central Michigan University pursuing a degree in Public and Nonprofit Administration, with minors in Event Management and Political Science. In her time as an intern, Kaitlin was able to work on a variety of initiatives to develop her as a promising young professional. She was a primary coordinator for the Adopt-a-Family program, serving as a liaison between the schools and families that provided 72 families in need in Gratiot & Isabella Counties with clothing, toys, toiletries, bedding, and personal care items amounting to over $40,000 in in-kind donations. She secured sponsorships for the 25 Days of Giving Holiday Raffle that garnered over $9,000 in revenue for the United Way. She also produced a new onboarding binder for the United Way Board of Trustees for current and future board members to refer to during their service. Kaitlin additionally has been able to learn how to utilize a CRM system, attend community-wide meetings, review grant applications and craft grant language, more! In describing her experience, Kaitlin shared: “Being an intern for United Way has given me so many opportunities professionally and personally. I have loved being able to work with various projects and events, and the team has been immensely supportive throughout my time and taught me so many valuable skills about the nonprofit sector. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had this experience, and highly encourage everyone to interact with the United Way in whatever way they can!”
United Way prioritizes quality education, and encourages everyone in the community to promote hands-on training, jobs, volunteer experiences, and internships to uplift student success. We are proud to have such strong relationships with both Alma College and Central Michigan University for their work in supporting students in higher education. For more information about United Way’s internship opportunities, please contact info@uwgic.org.