The Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development on campus is seeking two undergraduate interns. Interns develop critical job skills in public relations or data management while earning academic credit. Applicants must be available for both fall 2020 and spring 2021 during regular office hours. Are you interested in applying, or do you know someone who would be a perfect fit? Email StevensonCenter@IllinoisState.edu to learn more and apply now.
“The data management internship has been one of my best experiences as a student at Illinois State University. This experience has helped me decide my next steps after graduation.”—Alexis Swanson
The Stevenson Center provides graduate programs for returned Peace Corps Volunteers and AmeriCorps alumni, in addition to the Peace Corps Prep program for undergraduate students and direct service to organizations such as McLean County.
Current interns Shaylin Quaid (public relations) and Alexis Swanson (data management) reflect on their experiences this year. Quaid is majoring in public relations, while Swanson is majoring in sociology and philosophy. Both are seniors.
Public Relations Internship
As the Stevenson Center’s public relations intern, I have had the opportunity to build my portfolio while working and building relationships with some of the most inspirational people I know. Narrating the stories and experiences of this exceptional group of people has been incredibly rewarding.
During this internship, I did the following:
- Published articles for Illinois State University News regarding the Stevenson Center’s Fellows, staff, affiliates, and events while maintaining university style guide standards. I improved my interpersonal skills by gathering content through interviews with the subjects of my articles.
- Created visual and editorial content to share on the Stevenson Center’s social media, utilizing university, Peace Corps, and AmeriCorps hashtags.
- Managed applicant files, updated winner profiles, tabled at study abroad fairs, and served as a member of the review committee for the Hoon Mok Chung undergraduate scholarship.
The public relations internship was one of my favorites on campus, and I have no doubt that the Stevenson Center’s next intern will have a stellar experience. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out directly to me at sdquaid@ilstu.edu, and I will respond as soon as I can!
—Shaylin Quaid
Data Management Internship
My work as the Stevenson Center’s data management intern has allowed me to enhance my research and data analysis skills while building relationships with our hardworking staff and professionals in the community.
My work involves maintaining and analyzing monthly jail booking data from the McLean County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC). Our analysis of the jail data, as well as additional sociological research projects with the data, provides the CJCC with a deeper understanding of patterns and trends in the jail and aids their decision-making. Attending monthly CJCC meetings has allowed me to experience first-hand how our analysis benefits the community.
I have also worked with the Stevenson Center staff to assess the graduate program by surveying first-year students, second-year students, and alumni. A confidential analysis of current and former students’ experiences in the program aids the center in efforts to improve the graduate program.
During this internship, I worked on the following projects:
- Built monthly reports on patterns and trends of the length of stay for individuals in the jail based on charge severity. This project has strengthened my data analysis and report-building skills.
- Combined, cleaned, and analyzed ten years of booking data for the Juvenile Detention Center to aid their efforts in improving their booking process.
- Contributed to research projects on pre-trial and post-trial length of stay, the relationship between race and DUI charges, and the relationship between mental health and jail use.
- Surveyed past and present Stevenson Center graduate students and wrote reports on themes found in their responses.
- Conducted interviews with first-year Stevenson Center graduate students and wrote a report to provide the Center with a deeper understanding of the students’ experiences.
The data management internship has been one of my best experiences as a student at Illinois State University. This experience has helped me decide my next steps after graduation. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out directly to me at arswan1@ilstu.edu.
—Alexis Swanson
