Internships and apprenticeships, when done right, give interns and apprentices life long lessons. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, these opportunities aren’t accessible to many and so we wanted to invite folks who have had these experiences to share some of the lessons they’ve learned.

Berenice Beavers

I remember being offered a graduate assistant position just a few months before I graduated. It’s very much like an internship, but with the benefit of continuing your education and it being paid. The reason I want to share this story is because it had a huge impact in the career I have today. Read more>>

Darcie Lampman

My internship took place on an inpatient mental health unit at a hospital, a locked unit staffed with nurses, psychiatrists, social workers, mental health counselors, and safety technicians. Most patients were in an acute mental health crisis, and many were involuntarily committed for their safety. A number were detoxing from substance abuse in preparation for inpatient treatment programs, while others were experiencing psychosis and struggling to differentiate hallucinations or delusions from reality. While there were exceptions, the typical length of stay for most patients was two to five days. Read more>>

Jamessina Hille

I was the first intern of the Youth Football Department of The National Football League in the early 2000s. The offices at that time started on the 12th floor and ended on the 17th, which we insiders called ‘The Field of Dreams’. It was here the Youth Football Department called home and was where the Commissioner’s office was located with a spiral floating glass staircase, a large board room, and a receptionist area filled with Super Bowl trophies and championship rings. Commissioner Tagliabue was at the helm at the time, and set a strategic initiative of serving 10 million youth by 2010. The Youth Football Department was in its early prime, even having hosted Snoop Dogg in a meeting with the Commissioner and Ridell to discuss helmet design improvement for our young athletes. Read more>>