Gerriana Miller ’24 worked as a summer intern at the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) as part of the Swendseid Scholarship Program.
The program was created by Solveig Swendseid ’50 and pairs Cobbers with local nonprofit organizations that benefit women and/or children. Students are chosen for their GPA, previous volunteer work and passion, among other attributes. The scholarship funds their work and gives them the opportunity to serve the community in unique ways.
Miller found out about the scholarship from an event in the Atrium in Knutson when several businesses were there offering positions for the summer.
“I knew I was going up against other Concordia students for the position, so getting it was kind of surprising,” said Miller. “There was a whole application and interview process like any other job, but I knew Concordia would have lots of great applicants trying to get the same position.”
RMHC’s mission is to keep families close and offer the comforts of home while their child is receiving medical care. Miller did a wide variety of things depending on the day including being in charge of updating the arts and craft room with various activities for the children, working the front desk, checking in families, and cleaning.
The internship was 300 hours, so Miller worked 10 weeks of 30-hour work weeks. As soon as her internship ended, she was fortunate enough to get a position as a family services associate (FSA) so she can keep working at a place she really enjoyed.
“My major is social work, so it definitely ties into my major in certain aspects,” Miller said. “We work closely with case workers from the surrounding hospitals and many of the core principles/ethical values I have been learning about are put into play on a daily basis here. Obviously on days where they need my help cleaning, I am not as much of a social worker, but there is so much to enjoy about working somewhere that does so much good.”
“I strongly suggest and encourage everyone to do internships when they get the chance,” she added. “It may not always be glamorous (cleaning toilets and making beds), but you will always learn something about either yourself or your career field. The experiences you get as an intern can really help shape you for your future and help you find where your passion really lies.”
Learn more about how Concordia helps students find internships.