Think Creative Fall 2024

or college student looking at what their next steps will be, what they want to do with their lives, or how they will choose to serve or show up in this world, an in ternship with an organization like Creative opens up a broad swath of experiential learning and can help an intern become more aware what they need to focus on in their coming school year.” High school internships introduce stu dents to potential career paths and give them a sense of what working in interna tional development is like. Creative’s high school interns have spent the summer providing support across projects, from administrative work to assisting with research. “Through this internship, I’ve developed a strong sense of responsibility and diligence while working on impactful projects that support individuals facing significant challenges,” says high school junior Trixie Verrija. Preparing the next

Creative’s Summer Interns Bridge Academics and Impact

Creative welcomed seven high school and four college students as summer interns to equip the next generation of development professionals with the skills and knowledge to address global challenges. “Life is life's best teacher. It’s one thing to read a book and gain some insights, but experience is the gold standard,” says Blake Kent, an Associate Director who supervised one of the summer interns. The college interns worked across Cre ative’s divisions and technical areas on a range of projects, from crafting detailed project proposals to conducting crucial research. “The highlight of my internship was working on an initiative to use art as a way for children in conflict areas to heal,” says Arturo Sobalvarro, who will be a freshman at American University this fall. “This internship has taught me that anyone can make a difference and affect positive change.” Yakubu Wule Sini, a PhD student at the University of Oklahoma, interned with Creative’s Communities in Transition Division and appreciated the opportunity to apply his studies to support real-world interventions. “Throughout my internship, I was encouraged to think outside the

box. Leveraging my academic back ground in health sciences, I explored how health approaches can be applied to the work Creative does,” says Sini. Internships bridge the gap between academic learning and the professional world, facilitating a smooth transition

Through this internship, I’ve developed a strong sense of responsibility and diligence while working on impactful projects that support individuals facing significant challenges.” - Trixie Verrija, Creative Summer Intern 2024 “

group of development professionals is an important part of maintaining the industry’s health for years to come. “Creative's internship program looks to the future. We know this work is never done and will require future generations to make progress, and it is those who are students now who will pick up that man tle and carry us forward,” says Kent. n

from classroom theories to real-world applications. “Getting experience requires show ing up. It requires getting out of one's comfort zone and asking new questions. Creative's internship program provides an opportunity to get a bit of that ex perience,” says Kent. “For a high school

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