Sarah Lagenfeld was was an active participant in the Internship Program having participated in Spring 2014, Fall 2014, and Spring 2015 with three local organizations. She served as the intern for Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Kishwaukee College Foundation, and the Midwest Museum of Natural History. Read more below as we catch up with Sarah, who was one of the very first students to participate in the Internship Program!

Q: What was the biggest benefit and/or the coolest part of your internship experience?

Sarah: The biggest benefit of my internship experience was the work experience I gained as an intern. Looking for that first job out of college can be an overwhelming process. When I applied to jobs after graduation, my internship experience not only gave me relevant work experience but it also gave me concrete skills and projects I could point to on my resume and discuss during interviews.

Q: In your opinion, why should students pursue internship opportunities?

Sarah: I think students should pursue internship opportunities to gain experience and to test out different areas of the nonprofit sector. One of the things I love about this sector is the wide variety of job opportunities and organizations out there. As an intern, you get to explore different types of jobs at different types of organizations and experience, first hand, what you do and don’t like.

Q: What are you up to now?

Sarah: I now live in Rochester, Minnesota and work in the Department of Development at Mayo Clinic as an Administrative Assistant. In this role I arrange meetings, prepare reports and presentations, and maintain databases for the Strategic Team Management group. I also work on special projects (e.g., quarterly matches for the department mentor program, creating informational graphics, editing video recordings, documenting processes) as needed.

Q: Please share any additional comments you have about your internship experience. 

Sarah: The Internship Program would not be possible without the support of the Roberts Family Foundation so I would like to take this time to say THANK YOU! I appreciate the opportunity to participate in such an amazing program and can honestly say I would not be where I am today without the Internship Program. Again, thank you for your support!