Internship program fuels student growth, community success

Internship program fuels student growth, community success

The start of the fall semester marked the conclusion of another impactful summer for East Carolina University's SECU Public Fellows Internship (PFI) program. This year, 20 undergraduates were placed with organizations across 12 counties in eastern North Carolina, where they gained real-world experience in professional settings while also helping local organizations address community-identified priorities.

The program, funded through the SECU Foundation, pairs students with nonprofits, local governments, educational institutions, economic development agencies and other partners to work on projects that strengthen rural communities. For many interns, the experience clarified career paths while giving local organizations fresh perspectives and needed support.

Bridging the Classroom and Community

Lauryn Strothers, a senior from Richlands majoring in community and regional planning, made a two-hour round trip each day this summer to work with Washington County government. The long drive was worth it, she said, for the firsthand look at how local planning operates beyond textbooks.

"In the classroom, we learn the theories and what planning could look like, but you don't always know the specifics of the roles," said Strothers.

"It's been a little challenging trying to figure out exactly where I fit in planning as a career," she said. "This internship helped clarify a lot about what I could do in different roles, and now I have a much better idea of what my career might look like."

During her internship, Strothers worked alongside the county's economic development department, assisting with drafting new policies to attract businesses and industries, while also updating decades-old permit forms to streamline processes for applicants and for the municipality's small staff. She even stepped into human resources, helping the team hire a maintenance utility technician.

Serving as a host site for three years, Washington County Manager Curtis S. Potter '04 said the PFI program has been valuable both for interns and the county.

"The program has been great," Potter said. "It's really good to have the perspective of youth in the room. Idea generation is probably one of the biggest things we get with the program - fresh ideas."

Potter noted that smaller rural governments give interns particularly meaningful experiences.

"You're going to be working directly with the manager or assistant manager and going to meetings with them," he said. "You'll be in the room with the people making decisions and having the conversations about the analytics of what's going on."

Although Strothers hopes to travel and explore opportunities beyond eastern North Carolina, she said she ultimately feels a pull to invest her skills back home.

"I'm definitely interested in seeing the world like my mom did in the military, but this is where I feel most at home," she said. "If we want our rural areas to be places where people want to stay or move to, we need young people to come back, invest in their hometowns and help drive that transformation."

Transformative Experience

Madison Hruska, a management information systems major and Honors College student from Emerald Isle, spent her summer interning at East Carolina Vocational Center (ECVC) in Greenville, a nonprofit that provides employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Her responsibilities ranged from managing ECVC's social media platforms to developing marketing materials for the nonprofit's 60th anniversary banquet. She also researched new product lines for the organization's frame shop, impressing senior leadership with one proposal that led ECVC to order samples based on her recommendations.

"Before this internship, I knew I wanted to get into project management, but I wasn't sure what industry," Hruska said. "After getting to experience the marketing side a little, I think I'd like to try some aspect of that field. My next step is to find a role that combines marketing, project management and technology."

Her supervisor, marketing manager Diana Sasser, said Hruska's contributions went beyond project work.

"Working with Madison, I've gotten a fresh perspective on our social media and really just our organization as a whole," Sasser said. "And, even though she's only been here a short time, you probably noticed she said 'we' when talking about the organization. She's really joined the team and made our mission her mission, which I really appreciate."

Hruska said managing ECVC's social media has been one of her favorite parts of the internship.

"I have to brainstorm content alongside Diana, but I pretty much have full control of our platforms," she said. "I like being able to see how each post is performing - it's really rewarding."

The results have been noticed outside the organization, too.

"One of the department heads forwarded an email from a vendor who put in an order and commented on how great the Facebook page has been looking lately," Hruska said. "That means a lot to me because it shows the posts are reaching people and maybe even helping someone who needs it."

She said the internship also gave her more confidence, especially in areas where she once felt less comfortable.

"I think I've definitely become more confident personally and professionally - in my designs and in my ability to communicate with people," Hruska said. "Public speaking is something I normally get nervous about, but just doing these presentations lately, I'm starting to become more comfortable."

For Sasser, watching students grow is one of the best parts of hosting interns.

"It's a great experience. I wish I'd had it when I was that age," she said. "Especially now, with the competitive nature of the work environment, you really need to get your feet wet and learn not only about yourself but also how to operate in a business setting."

Building Community Capacity

For Dawson Mitchell, a finance major and Honors College senior from Washington, interning with the Strategic Twin-Counties Education Partnership (STEP) meant no two days were alike.

"They've given me a variety of assignments here," he said. "Every day brings something different, which has kept the work interesting and challenging."

During his internship, Mitchell compiled data, created budgets, supported teacher workshops and STEM camps, and even reconciled the organization's financial reports. He also joined the team for a luncheon at the governor's mansion.

"Getting the opportunity to be a professional has been a great experience," he said. "Having an actual position with a schedule - wake up, go to work, spend the day there, go home and do it all over again - has really taught me discipline. Honestly, I've gotten more out of learning that than anything else."

Mitchell said he also valued seeing the nonprofit side of the work firsthand.

"I really enjoyed the office aspect of the internship and getting to see how a nonprofit works behind the scenes," he said. "There's so much that goes into sustaining an organization like this, and I didn't realize how many moving parts there are until I was here."

He also left a tangible mark on the organization and helped set it up for continued success.

"I was able to set them up with data spreadsheets they can use for future projects, help organize grant information, and build a partnership database, so I feel like I've left something behind that will keep helping them," Mitchell said.

Kevin Roberts, workbase learning liaison with STEP, praised Mitchell's contributions. "If we had to come up with a prototype for an intern, it would be hard to do better," he said.

Pam Gould, STEP's executive director, added, "Our future is in great hands with youth like Dawson."

Heart for Service

At Aces for Autism in Greenville, a nonprofit providing behavioral therapy, parent training and educational support for children with autism, Sanaa Everett connected with her internship on a deeper level.

"What initially drew me to this internship was the opportunity to work directly with children and families affected by autism, especially because I have a nephew on the spectrum," she said. "My personal connection has fueled my passion for learning more about how to best support individuals with developmental differences."

Her responsibilities ranged from assisting with therapy sessions to collaborating with behavior analysts and supporting client transitions.

"I've also been able to build rapport with clients and learn how individualized treatment plans are implemented to support developmental progress," Everett said.

"This internship has helped solidify my interest in becoming a clinical social worker in military or pediatric settings. I've also grown in communication, professionalism and overall confidence in therapeutic environments," she said.

Alayna Boyer '24, now marketing and special projects manager at Aces for Autism, interned in 2023 with the Beaufort County Arts Council through PFI. She credits her internship experience with shaping her career path.

"As a communications major, I knew nothing about marketing and graphic design at the time, but I came away learning so much and feeling like that was my niche," Boyer said.

Today, Boyer mentors Aces for Autism interns, highlighting the long-term ripple effect of the program.

"It feels strange to not be in their shoes anymore and to now be guiding them, but it's also rewarding because I was once there. And however I can be a support and mentor to them to help them grow professionally, I want to be that for them," she said.

Lasting Impact

From rural county governments to nonprofits serving regional needs, host sites echoed the same sentiment: The program brings fresh energy, ideas and support.

"Like most counties in our area, we have to do more with less," Potter said of Washington County. "Some of our departments are one person. So having the internship program can help us see things through fresher eyes."

Boyer added, "The biggest benefit of the internship program is giving back and pouring back into the communities that have supported you. Especially with nonprofits, they don't have a big staff, so every bit of help makes a big difference."

Kyle Robinson, CEO and co-founder of Aces for Autism, said ECU's overall partnerships have been critical for Aces' growth.

"The added support for us as an organization is priceless. It goes a long way for us to fulfill our mission and really walk alongside and serve families with autism to the best of our ability," Robinson said.

Students, meanwhile, walked away with clearer career goals and stronger professional skills for a competitive workforce environment.

"To see the growth in these students in such a short time from May through August is remarkable," said Cassie Keel, PFI program manager. "Many students start these internships having never worked in professional settings before and walk away with soft skills such as time management, organization and communication that will take them far into their future careers."

"Seeing them experience those 'aha' moments is also what makes this program so valuable," she said.

A fixture of ECU's commitment to its service area, the SECU Public Fellows Internship program reinforces the university's mission of student success, public service and regional transformation. The program continues preparing the next generation of leaders to meet community needs as 2026 applications open in January.

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