Summer internships can be a valuable — and even required — part of the university experience. However, because internships can pay less than other summer work, many students who work summer internships start the fall term without the funds required to enroll.
For that reason, in March 2021 the Walla Walla University Alumni Association created a scholarship to encourage internships and support students who participate in them. Scholarship recipients are selected using criteria that includes the internship’s relevance to their area of study, and its ability to provide clarity for a future career path. Funded with a $150,000 gift from the association, the Alumni Association Student Internship Scholarship has already blessed six students since its creation.
“This scholarship made it possible for me to immerse myself fully in an invaluable internship experience,” says Michelle Taruwinga, senior nursing major. “I worked through a staffing agency to gain experience in diverse healthcare facilities in Oregon. My primary responsibility was supporting residents at different stages of dementia. Each day brought new challenges, workflows, and opportunities to collaborate with teams of professionals.
“One of the most impactful lessons I learned is the importance of non-verbal communication. Many of the patients had difficulty expressing themselves verbally or struggled to clearly articulate their needs, so I relied on body language, facial expressions, and other cues to understand their needs. This experience enhanced my emotional intelligence and deepened my ability to provide compassionate, patient-centered care.
“Before this internship I was considering a career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. However, my summer experience has shifted my interests toward geriatric nursing and palliative care. The internship has been a pivotal step in my nursing journey, and I am thankful for the Alumni Association’s investment in students like me."
Senior accounting student Vinicius Silva spent his summer in Lancaster, Mass., completing an audit internship with the General Conference Auditing Service of Seventh-day Adventists (GCAS). “During my time there I did a rotation on every audit section, including cash, accounts receivable, and payroll. Every week was different. Sometimes I would work in the office, and most of the time we were travelling to conferences and academies. It was pretty much a full-time job, and I felt included and appreciated,” he says. “Every daily task was based on helping me know how it feels to provide audit services for the Seventh-day Adventist system.”
After he graduates, Vinicius will find a job and work on completing his certified public accountant license, hoping to eventually launch his own consulting firm. “Receiving this scholarship motivated me even more to pursue academic and professional excellence, knowing that I have the support of the Walla Walla University community behind me,” he says. “I appreciate the Alumni Association for this generous investment.”
Andres Espinel, senior strategic communication major, learned to manage an Enterprise Rent-a-Car branch through his recent summer internship. He booked appointments, filled out contracts, sold Enterprise products, completed reports, attended meetings, directed customer service initiatives, worked with other branches to solve problems, contacted insurance companies, and worked with other departments at Enterprise Mobility.
“After one month at Enterprise, I was able to provide help and solutions without the need to consult with my supervisor,” he says. “At the same time, I confirmed the importance of communication inside of the business. I noticed that there are some issues in how the business’ branches communicate with each other, and that different methodologies and cultures have a big impact on how Enterprise employees reach clients, and how clients see Enterprise. I also observed that even in big companies like Enterprise it is important to have good communication, marketing, and planning to reach different kinds of clients.”
“Receiving a scholarship from generous alumni is an honor and privilege that makes me want to keep fighting, learning, and working to accomplish my dreams,” Andreas says. “Before the internship I didn’t expect to learn as much as I did about the mobility business, but most of all I didn’t expect to receive the extra financial help. Now I want to be more involved in the corporate world, and to create relationships that could benefit not only companies, but also communities.”
“Experiential learning is essential to the success of students as they launch their careers,” says Lisa Jervey Lennox, chair of the Walla Walla University Alumni Association Board. “Today’s employers expect their new hires to be real-world ready and, in many cases, will immediately eliminate those applicants whose resumes lack relevant experience. Our WWU Alumni Association is committed to ensuring that our graduates are entering the workforce with a competitive advantage. Because many internship positions are unpaid or under-paid, we have chosen to provide internship scholarships to assist our future alumni in attaining their career goals.”
To see frequently asked questions about offering internships, visit muurausahvenlampi.com/host-interns.
To make a gift to the Alumni Association Endowment for Undergraduate Student Internships Fund, visit muurausahvenlampi.com/give and direct your donation to “Alumni Association Student Internship Scholarship.”
