Intern Insights

Gaining Invaluable Experience
By Jackie Lewis, Communications Office intern

College of Mount St. Joseph students Tyler Klopfstein (back) and Lee Maurer (right) joined the Sisters of Charity Grounds Department as part of the Summer Student Employment Initiative.

In 2006, the College of Mount St. Joseph and SC Ministry Foundation began a joint collaboration that would benefit both the students at the college and a group of nonprofits. The Student Summer Employment Initiative (SSEI) offers students the opportunity to gain exposure to the nonprofit sector while providing nonprofits with some much needed help without the financial burden.

“The college benefits by increasing student retention since the students are able to offset some of the expense of attending college,” Peggy Smith, SSEI coordinator, added.

SC Ministry Foundation funds the students’ salaries; the non-profit organizations chosen to benefit from the program are local grantees of SC Ministry Foundation. This summer 85 students were placed in 27 nonprofits around the Cincinnati and surrounding Ohio areas, including Dayton and Cleveland. Many of the positions are directly associated with the majors the college offers.

“I appreciate the dedication of the students and the cooperation of both the students and the agencies,” Peggy said. “Everyone contributes to making each experience a good one.”

So, if you are wondering about some of the new faces you might have seen this summer around the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Motherhouse, they just might be the faces of SSEI participants. Students are working in the Grounds Department, the Communications Office and the IT Department, to name a few.

I met with some of the students working for the Sisters of Charity this summer. Tyler Klopfstein, a business major, and Lee Maurer, an athletic training major, both work for the Grounds Department under the direction of Alan Wittich. When asked what they would want people to know about the Sisters of Charity, they both replied how friendly and welcoming everyone is here at the Motherhouse.

“This is a very peaceful place to work; the hours are flexible and you can take the initiative to get things done on your own,” Lee said. Lee has worked with the Grounds Department for the last three summers and Tyler for the last two.

Anna Walsh, an athletic training major at the college, worked in Spiritual Life and the Activities Department. This was Anna’s first summer with the Sisters of Charity, but it seems they left a lasting impression.

“The Sisters are amazing women,” she said. “They are full of faith and love. They are devoted to their vocation and love to share their faith with others. There was not a day that went by that I wasn’t in awe of at least one Sister and her unending faith.”

On a personal level I can attest to the program’s success; you see, I spent my summer working with the Communications Office at the Motherhouse. I have to say that this has been one of my most enjoyable work experiences. There is a peacefulness here that can only be explained by the wonderful women that inhabit this space.

From the moment I walked into the front doors of the Motherhouse I was calmed. I was only here for an interview, but I immediately knew where I needed to be this summer. In fact, we were only a few minutes into our interview when I told Donata Glassmeyer, director of communications, that I wanted this job. I had been on one interview and still had two more to go, but I knew this is where I was supposed to be this summer. Sometimes you just know when something is right for you – and this was one of those times.

When I was offered the Communications position at the Motherhouse, I thought I was hired to do filing and possibly other office work, which had been my usual work experience. That was not the case; I was hired to write press releases for the Sisters who would be celebrating their silver, golden and diamond jubilees. I had no experience in writing except for the papers I had written in college. I was not a writer by any stretch of the imagination, but I thought I would give it a shot.

Erin Reder, the communications managing editor, took me under her wing and with so much patience showed me just a bit of what it takes to be a good writer. This summer I learned just what goes into putting out a quality publication. The experience I gained is invaluable.

So, it is with a heavy heart that I leave the Communications Office, the Sisters of Charity and the Motherhouse as I must return to school. I will always carry with me the experience of working with such a wonderful group of individuals.

Posted 8/18/11

 

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