The Power of Internships

MONMOUTH, Ill. – For three seasons, Anna Caster ’25 of Greenfield, Indiana, and Lea Selquist ’25 of Peru, Illinois, shared playing time as goalkeepers on the Monmouth College women’s soccer team.

Their shared experience continued last summer, as they were both among several students who landed valuable internships, which for years has been a key component of a Monmouth education.

Selquist worked for the accounting firm RSM, while Caster stayed in Monmouth, putting the knowledge of her majors – psychology and exercise science – to work at Warren Achievement Center.

“Internships are invaluable experiential learning opportunities. … (They) will help students directly or indirectly for the rest of their careers.” – Kristy Krisher

Monmouth students could also be found at such locations as the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region in Colorado Springs, two agriculture businesses (Brandt and Deere & Co.) and two companies based in Chicago (Pepper Construction and Stats Perform). Declan Flynn ’25 of Monmouth participated in the latter internship with assistance from the college’s Yahnke Business and Economics Endowed Internship Fund.

“Internships are invaluable experiential learning opportunities,” said Kristy Krisher, Monmouth’s associate director of internship development, who works in the Wackerle Center for Career, Leadership and Fellowships. “They provide hands-on experience in the field the student is interested in, are great résumé builders, and have been known to develop work-related skills, such as professionalism, email etiquette, networking, communication, teamwork, and much more. These opportunities will help students directly or indirectly for the rest of their careers.”

Helping Achievers achieve

Caster learned about her internship through a volunteer opportunities presentation held by the college.

ANNA CASTER: The senior (left) was able to utilize her exercise science and psychology majors while interning at Warren Achievement Center in Monmouth.“Sean Cavanaugh, who is in the marketing department at Warren Achievement, gave a presentation about service hours at the facility,” said Caster, who served as a physical activity intern. “I inquired further about a possible internship, and we were off and running.”

Caster built an exercise and movement program to test the effects of physical activity on symptoms of dementia and pre-dementia for individuals with developmental disabilities.

“Every session, I would work with the individuals at Warren Achievement Center – called Achievers – to encourage movement through fun activities and games,” she said. “I also recorded and retrieved data from our sessions to analyze the relationship between each Achiever’s physical activity and their behaviors.”

A highlight for Caster came when her exercise and movement program drew in an unlikely Achiever.

“She was often described as someone who did not participate in many of the activities put on at Warren Achievement and kept to herself most of the time,” said Caster. “After participating in my program for a while, she was more interactive with other Achievers and staff at the center, her mood was generally better, and she laughed more. It was so amazing to see her blossom after she began working with me.”

“Warren Achievement Center gave me the opportunity to utilize both my majors and combine them into a program to help people and do what I love.” – Anna Caster

Caster, who plans to attend graduate school for sports psychology or human sciences, was pleased she could incorporate both of her areas of study into her internship.

“Warren Achievement Center gave me the opportunity to utilize both my majors and combine them into a program to help people and do what I love,” she said.

Growing professionalism and confidence

Selquist said she put her liberal arts education into practice during her internship at RSM, which she learned about through a faculty member and secured after receiving help from the Wackerle Center.

LEA SELQUIST: The Monmouth senior has turned her internship experience into an offer for a full-time job next year.“I noticed that I not only knew the material that I needed for accounting – my debits and credits – but I also knew how to communicate with others,” she said. “I knew how to understand how to have empathy for others and really just fit my personality into the work setting. The liberal arts make you a full person. I felt it set me apart from the other interns,” both with communication skills and thinking outside the box to solve problems.

A Dean’s List student, Selquist still has a lot to learn about accounting, and her internship helped.

“I loved how much I grew in that internship,” said Selquist, who will work full-time for RSM after she graduates. “Man, did they teach me Excel. I also just grew such professionalism and confidence. I really discovered how to just sit down and get the work done. I have that discipline even more now. I say to myself, ‘I can do this. I’ve done this for eight hours a day all summer.’”

Social media, social functions

Paige Bergschneider ’25, a business administration and marketing major from Alexander, Illinois, is also a Fighting Scot athlete, playing setter on the volleyball team. She spent her summer as a marketing intern for the Springfield-based company Brandt.      

PAIGE BERSCHEIDNER: Pictured on the far right, the Monmouth senior had a summer internship close to her hometown of Alexander, Illinois.“I grew up living on a farm, so I have an agriculture background,” she said. “Brandt has always been involved in my community. I’d heard great things about them and wanted to be a part of their work environment.”

A marketing intern, she was charged with capturing and creating social media content, and she also coordinated and assisted with various events.

“Brandt hosts a customer appreciation barbecue for its retail customers, so assisting in the planning and attending the event was a lot of fun with my co-workers, as well as meeting new people there,” said Bergschneider, who next year will either attend graduate school or go directly into marketing work.

“My time at Monmouth College equipped me with essential skills and knowledge, enabling me to effectively support the team and contribute to its success,” she said. “Monmouth’s well-rounded education and on-campus work opportunities have allowed me to gain a diverse set of skills, from strategic thinking and communication to adaptability and problem solving.”