Young, a senior criminology and psychology double major from the Bahamas, applied for the position thanks to an email sent to sociology students, and received her notice of acceptance in March.

The internship has kept Young on her toes, as she does everything from shadowing probation officers to reviewing case files to assisting with juvenile investigations. She talks to everyone involved with the process 鈥� guardians, therapists, school officials and the kids themselves.

鈥淜ids don鈥檛 commit crimes just because they want to, or to prove they can,鈥� Young said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always an influence, like trauma in or out of the home.鈥�

The opportunity has boosted the skills she’ll take into her future career, as these cases require a delicate approach that balances both structure and empathy.

Young鈥檚 big heart has been an asset during her internship. She is able to connect with youth on their level, instead of speaking down to them or further demeaning them.

鈥淚t has been amazing to see kids finishing their probation sentence, how excited they get, and the complete 180 in their personality,鈥� Young said.

The biggest challenge has been diving into each new investigation. When the case file is in her hands for the first time, Young said her heart feels heavy.

鈥淜ids are humans, too,鈥� Young said.

Young also expressed her gratitude to 香蕉视频 for how prepared she felt going into her internship. She already knew a lot of the background information, the terminology and processes being used and how to connect with the juveniles she works with.

鈥淐oming into college, I was shy,鈥� Young said, 鈥渂ut going into senior year, I know how to talk to people, I鈥檓 curious and not afraid to ask questions.鈥�

Young has taken this internship as a stepping stone.

Being a probation officer intern has pushed her to expand how she sees people as a whole, allowing her to develop the skills she will need to investigate the minds of criminals and teach them to heal in her future as a forensic psychologist.

By Caspian Weeden, an English major from Pueblo, Colorado.

Fuqua, a wildlife biology and philosophy & religion double major from Woodland Park, Colorado, received an acceptance call the day after the interview.

Fuqua has always been an animal lover and volunteered at a zoo throughout middle and high school, where they found plenty of joy and connection with the animals.

鈥淚 needed to do something that made me feel good and something that is worthwhile,鈥� Fuqua said.

Fuqua started working at Heartland Pet Connection in late April, making sure the animals were fed, watered and had clean spaces. Since then, they鈥檝e taken on heavier responsibilities, such as disinfecting intake kennels and managing disease control processes.

鈥淎 lot of intakes aren鈥檛 vaccinated,鈥� Fuqua said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e been out on the street, so the intake kennel has a special cleaning process, too.鈥�

Fuqua has found a lot of joy at Heartland, especially in adoption counseling. They sit down with animals and potential adopters to help find the perfect match.

鈥淚t can be hard, helping adopters find an animal that fits their lifestyle, but the matchmaking is so satisfying to be a part of,鈥� Fuqua said.

Between adoption counseling and shadowing animal behavior tests, Fuqua has learned a lot about how animals interact with each other versus how they interact with people. Fuqua appreciates classes that cover shelter practices, but notes they are quite different from hands-on experience.

Of course, working at a shelter comes with hardships. The shelter can end up with pets who鈥檝e escaped yards due to a lack of fencing or pets who are being surrendered because they鈥檝e grown up and don鈥檛 look like puppies or kittens anymore.

鈥淭he average person sometimes goes into the adoption process thinking a pet will be the same forever, but they change and grow up too,鈥� Fuqua said.

Fuqua has always been an advocate for animal welfare, speaking up for the safety of pets. They openly educate about the importance of adoption alongside finding an animal that fits into a person鈥檚 lifestyle.

鈥淎 pet should meet someone鈥檚 needs,鈥� Fuqua said, 鈥渓ike being a companion.鈥�

Fuqua said that a lot of their approach to ensuring animals and people are both treated well is thanks to Dr. Dorothy Dean, a professor of religion at 香蕉视频.

鈥淪ometimes my words are harsher than I intend them to be,鈥� Fuqua admitted. 鈥淒r. Dean has helped me learn how to talk to people respectfully, even when I disagree with their standpoints.鈥�

Fuqua has enjoyed a lot of their religion and philosophy courses as a whole, especially being able to combine that with the scientific approach in wildlife biology.

鈥淚 love answers. Religion and philosophy courses don鈥檛 have that,鈥� Fuqua said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a different way to think.鈥�

Fuqua鈥檚 classes overlap more than it might seem. Wildlife biology teaches facts, psychology and an understanding of the natural world. Philosophy and religion focus on morality, the heart and the divinity of life.

Putting those majors together has helped Fuqua find joy in their job, especially when helping animals find their forever homes.

鈥淚 believe everybody should be mindful when they think about getting a pet,鈥� Fuqua said. 鈥淧lease research, understand their needs, foster if you鈥檙e unsure about adoption and make sure you have the means to take care of these precious creatures.鈥�

By Caspian Weeden, an English major from Pueblo, Colorado.

The Castle Rock, Colorado, native is a double major in accounting and business administration. With many family members working as accountants, the internship allowed Yost to finally see himself on that same path.

鈥淚t鈥檚 allowed me to realize that this is something I want to pursue. It has made me feel better because I wasn鈥檛 sure what I wanted to do, and now just being there I love it,鈥� Yost said. 鈥淢y dad is an accountant and growing up it was hard for me to understand what he does, but now I have a greater appreciation for it.鈥�

Yost spent his time managing spreadsheets, documents and reports to support coworkers and partners. While the data-heavy nature of accounting can be a challenge, Yost learned to navigate the workload by leaning into the firm’s collaborative culture.

鈥淚鈥檓 constantly communicating with higher partners that have more experience. I learn by doing and they have taught me how to do things I have difficulty with,鈥� Yost said.

The supportive environment at CORE CPAs proved to be a highlight for Yost.

鈥淚t makes me feel accomplished. I found something that I鈥檓 good at and that I really enjoy doing,鈥� he said.

Yost said he鈥檚 learned many things working for this company and is excited to see where it can take him.

鈥淚 consistently work with my coworkers to figure out which tasks I can work on so I鈥檓 not idle. It鈥檚 helped me gain basic work experience and allows me to prepare for the future to help clients in the best ways possible,鈥� Yost said.

Yost found this internship through a family member who encouraged him to apply. He received help from the 香蕉视频 Career Services staff that helped prepare him for the application process. He also spoke to classmates who enjoyed their internships at the same company.

In the classroom, accounting professors Carmen Van O鈥橪inda and Dave Carpenter provided the foundation Yost needed to succeed in the field. 鈥淭he things I learn in class and the assignments I do have all helped me work towards this internship and prepared me for the workload,鈥� Yost said.

Yost plans on graduating in May 2026 and will work towards his certified public accountant (CPA) designation. He hopes to use his time at CORE CPAs to complete those requirements before taking the CPA exam.

鈥淭his will help propel my career. I find it fun and enjoyable and it allows me to connect not only with other people, but my family as well,鈥� Yost said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait for my first client because I love helping people, and this is a way I can do that.鈥�

By Rachel Ritzmann a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado

Butler, a business major and construction management minor from Hastings, spent his summer as an intern with Turner Construction. While Turner is headquartered in Omaha, Butler鈥檚 “office” was much closer to home: the construction site of The 1882, 香蕉视频鈥檚 new residence hall that will open in fall 2026.

鈥淎s a student at Hastings, it was awesome to be a part of this project,鈥� Butler said. 鈥淪eeing how a project like this will change the campus for a long time 鈥� it鈥檚 a great feeling.鈥�

During the internship, Butler swapped his textbooks for blueprints, getting a front-row seat to the lifecycle of a major build. From studying architectural drawings to coordinating with builders on-site, he gained a high-level view of how a vision becomes a structure.

The experience wasn’t just about steel and concrete; it was about communication. Butler worked alongside veteran managers, learning how to communicate with builders and architects. He also gained experience with industry-standard management software that helps keep the project on track.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really know what to expect going in, but the experience was great,鈥� said Butler, who also plays for the Broncos football team. 鈥淭his internship not only solidified my interest in construction management, but it provided practical experience that will be beneficial for my entire career.鈥�

鈥淚 go into the lab and they teach me about pH and particles and how to monitor bacteria. We also do multiple tests to make sure that the product is safe. As a quality intern, I check papers and verify with workers that they are doing their job correctly and address errors that may have been made,鈥� Castellanos said.

Castellanos, a biology major with physics and psychology minors from Grand Island, Nebraska, said the internship taught him more about fields he is interested in and that it has helped him grow as a person.

鈥淲hat I enjoy most is being able to push myself to be the best person I can be everyday. It鈥檚 also nice when my hard work gets recognized by coworkers,鈥� said Castellanos, who is also a Scott Scholar. 鈥淚nternships are like gateways to careers, so I think it鈥檚 important to give your best effort in your work because it allows you to learn and grow as a person.鈥�

He said his work environment was very supportive and helped him when facing with challenges. He also found it rewarding when he received recognition for good work.

鈥淚 stress easily because I am a perfectionist. I鈥檝e made some mistakes, but my peers and supervisors advised me that there is some room for error. So, it was hard adjusting to that work environment and learning how to interact with my coworkers,鈥� Castellanos said.

Chemistry professor Dr. Neil Heckman recommended Castellanos for the internship, and 香蕉视频 Career Services staff helped him apply for the position. He credits 香蕉视频 to this opportunity and has embraced the support the community has given him.

鈥淭here鈥檚 actually people here that do care about you. The professors, the staff and really everybody here are willing to do their job to help students. There is a support system here that has really helped me not only with academics and career opportunities, but personal challenges, too,鈥� Castellanos said.

He said a lot of people applied for the internship, so he didn’t believe he鈥檇 get it.

鈥淵et I did,” he said. “I think it鈥檚 because 香蕉视频 taught me how to be professional during my interviews and in the workplace.鈥�

He said many of the tasks he鈥檚 been handling incorporate a lot of knowledge from classes he has taken. He also utilized Career Services staff and Dave Rippe, director of the Scott Scholars program, to learn about professionalism in the workplace.

鈥淚t was really interesting because in chemistry class, we would learn about certain things that I thought I would never use. Now, in this internship, I am,鈥� Castellanos said.

Castellanos said he enjoyed the time learning about different fields, experiencing new things and meeting different kinds of people 鈥� and that he鈥檚 found something he enjoys doing.

While Castellanos said he鈥檚 already started to look into PhD programs in order to become a physicist, he鈥檚 keeping his mind open to other opportunities and will continue to explore his options with the help of 香蕉视频.

鈥淚 found fulfillment in my work that I鈥檝e been doing at this internship and in my classes. I feel as though I can follow my passion in a way that doesn鈥檛 drain me,鈥� Castellanos said.

By Rachel Ritzmann a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado.

Tidyman, who is from Holdrege, Nebraska, had many duties at the zoo, including feeding, watering and cleaning up after the animals, interacting with elk, white-tailed deer, bison, black-footed ferrets, black bears, river otters and a grizzly bear.

The zoo also holds cougars, and while Tidyman had limited interactions with them because they require more seasoned zookeepers, she did choose to focus on them for an internship capstone project.

鈥淚 researched where cougars spend most of their time during the day, and then built a graphic and marked up a photo so the public would know where to look for the cats,鈥� she said, adding that she also summarized the data and wrote a paper with her findings.

鈥淎ll of the animals I interacted with had unique routines we had to follow,鈥� Tidyman said.

For example, Tidyman said the elk routine began at 7:00 a.m. and was tedious. It鈥檚 a large exhibit that had to be raked because of the small pellets elk produce. From there, she鈥檇 move to raking and cleaning the elk barn to ensure that they would have a clean and cozy place to sleep at night.

鈥淚 learned a lot about the elk throughout my time doing the elk routine,” she said. “For example, when bull elk are in the velvet stage of antlers, their antlers are very sensitive, so the elk avoid touching their antlers to anything during this time.鈥�

Tidyman said she loved watching the animals and learning their habits.

鈥淢y favorites to watch were the black bears because they were only a year old and played with a lot of energy,鈥� she said.

Tidyman sought out the internship because the zoo didn鈥檛 advertise opportunities. Tidyman applied for the animal care position even though it was an unpaid position, believing instead that she may gain knowledge from the experience.

鈥淭he hours were flexible and they worked with my schedule, allowing me to also have a part-time paid job,鈥� Tidyman said.

Tidyman said she learned a lot in her experience and wants to encourage others to apply for similar opportunities.

鈥淚t felt great caring for the animals and seeing the animals happy because of what I have accomplished,鈥� Tidyman said.

Though zookeeping was not on Tidyman鈥檚 radar as a career, she is already looking ahead to next summer in the hope of working for another zoo.

鈥淭his experience taught me that zookeeping is definitely a career I could see myself pursuing one day,鈥� Tidyman said.

鈥淚鈥檝e always been interested in understanding how people are attached to numbers. I want to be able to take and analyze data in a way that everyone can understand,鈥� Reid said.

Reid, a junior mathematics major from Omaha, Nebraska, helps manage customer relations by organizing and using data. They work with an interface called Hubspot that helps track contact, company and service information. The goal is to collect data so they can send out audits and make sure people are billed correctly.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just trying to mitigate all the issues that come with talking to customers and how we can give them our information in a nice and cordial manner,鈥� Reid said.

Reid found out about this internship through the Scott Scholars program at 香蕉视频. Director Dave Rippe helped Reid contact the Scott Data Center in order to set up a conversation about the internship.

鈥淚 met with management twice earlier this year. The second meeting is where they gave me the offer,鈥� Reid said. 鈥淚 wrote a letter saying I wanted the job and then received an email to apply for it and got it within the same day.鈥�

Customer relations can be difficult to handle and Reid is learning how to navigate it. Not every customer will need the same thing and Reid has been tasked to differentiate the needs of different customers. In order to do this, Reid said asking questions is very important when navigating difficult situations.

鈥淚鈥檝e learned to not be afraid to ask questions and that it鈥檚 okay to be uncomfortable with not knowing everything because that鈥檚 how you gain clarification,鈥� Reid said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 okay to come across as naive or inexperienced because they are going to help you because you are helping them.鈥�

Reid has enjoyed learning about different kinds of people, collecting information and sorting data in an organized way that will allow for easy use in the future.

鈥淚 always try to look for how we can solve issues along the road, not to create problems, but to create solutions before we have a problem,鈥� Reid said.

This internship has been an opportunity for Reid to learn more about data science, a field they are passionate about. They hope to gain leadership skills from this experience and become more comfortable with creating opportunities for themself.

鈥淕etting these internships has been amazing and has allowed me to become more comfortable with being creative in a way I haven鈥檛 seen before, which can test the boundaries of what a company can do,鈥� Reid said.

Reid said 香蕉视频 professors have influenced the skills that they have gained and have opened their eyes to various jobs that can utilize those skills. They鈥檝e learned that this internship helps them understand things that people use everywhere, especially when it comes to businesses.

鈥淚 can put my goals and skills into anything I want to do. I don鈥檛 have to stay on one path. My professors helped train me to be applicable in many types of job fields,鈥� Reid said.

Reid is taking an actuary exam this summer and plans on becoming an actuary after 香蕉视频, although a masters in mathematics is not out of the question.

鈥淚鈥檓 very passionate about making it accessible and understandable for everyone. If I can take my knowledge and educate people around me, we can have conversations that can include everyone, not just those who are in the mathematics field,鈥� Reid said.

By Rachel Ritzmann a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado

Karr has always wanted to dive deeper into the business side of agriculture, and this summer鈥檚 internship, with Loup-Platte Agronomics Inc., is giving him more experience as he works toward his planned career as an agronomist.

鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to pursue a business degree in agriculture so I decided to minor in agribusiness to learn more about it,鈥� Karr said.

Karr saw this internship posted online by the company, which is based in Grand Island, Nebraska. He applied and had one interview over the phone and another in-person.

Karr spends most of his time scouting and monitoring fields so Loup-Platte Agronomics can make recommendations to help give farmers the best opportunity for the highest yields.

鈥淲e check for plant health and soil health. Every week there is something new to check: weeds, chemicals, insects and more. I鈥檝e learned a lot of new identifications for weeds and insects,鈥� Karr said. 鈥淭his summer, I鈥檝e been trying to learn more about all types and kinds of pests that are in the fields.鈥�

Karr said he believes agriculture is important in many ways. He grew up around agriculture and he said it鈥檚 all he鈥檚 ever known. Agricultural communities are very important to him and he sees how vital it is for everyone and he wants to contribute.

鈥淚 grew up around agriculture so I feel like I know how to do it pretty well, but want to expand my knowledge. There is a constant and increasing demand for it. I believe it鈥檚 really important that there are good agronomists who can help farmers, and I鈥檓 glad to have the opportunity to learn and work alongside some great agronomists this summer,鈥� Karr said.

Karr said business classes at 香蕉视频 helped prepare him for the internship. After he graduates, he originally planned to work for an established agriculture company, but an entrepreneurial class and his internships have him thinking about starting his own business.

鈥淚鈥檝e been taking a summer entrepreneurship class that got me thinking I could do this,鈥� Karr said. 鈥淭his is a private agronomy business, and my class has opened my eyes to maybe starting my own business.鈥�

By Rachel Ritzmann a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado.

The internship, which is based in Toyohashi, Japan, is funded by the National Science Foundation鈥檚 International Research Experiences for Students (IRES). IRES allows mentors and professors to apply for grants to create a fully funded internship opportunity for students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The goal for the project Lee is working on is to create a portable device with a microchip that has a sensor that can accurately detect diseases and illnesses.

Lee, who is from Los Angeles, California, studies wildlife biology at 香蕉视频. She鈥檚 always been passionate about nature and the outdoors, especially animals. Although this internship focuses on human biology, Lee said she鈥檚 learned many new skills that can benefit her future.

鈥淛ust having the international experience on top of this research project will help my resume,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淲ith this specific project and my interest in diseases in endangered animal species, having a device like this will be extremely helpful in animal research.鈥�

Lee came across this internship by chance. She had friends who received an email about this opportunity that were not able to apply for it. With encouragement from her friends, she applied and got the position through the University of Nebraska鈥揕incoln.

鈥淚 really didn鈥檛 go looking, but I thought that I might as well apply. I sent in my resume and wrote a cover letter. I also had to write a statement of research interest, and then went through two interview cycles,鈥� Lee said.

Research uses sensor to detect disease

The research focuses on creating a device that can determine diseases by using pathogens, disease-causing agents. They are working with an electronic high-tech CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) sensor. This is a national security sensor, which means it cannot leave the country. CMOS sensors are electronic microchips used to produce electrical signals from images by using fluorescent light.

鈥淲e are working on this microchip, and you can flow a sample of saliva through the channels over the sensor and it鈥檒l show a light on a screen and that鈥檚 how you know if they have a disease or illness,鈥� Lee said.

This internship involves training, lab work, data collection and language lessons. Lee is kept busy during the day starting at 9:00 a.m. for training and then goes into labs or lessons and tours. Evenings are open and Lee spends her time exploring the city and taking the bullet train all around Japan.

鈥淭raining usually goes for a couple of hours until lunch, and in the afternoon, if we aren鈥檛 doing a tour at a company, we go back to our office work space,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淔rom there, we are brainstorming. Right now we are researching and trying to find the best design for the device; after that鈥檚 done, there will be a lot of testing in the lab.鈥�

Internship creates opportunities

The internship has allowed Lee to experience hands-on work and set new goals for her future. She said that she wants to complete the project and be able to have a working device, even if it鈥檚 not perfect, and apply the experience to her studies at 香蕉视频 and beyond.

鈥淏eing able to work collaboratively internationally is a big part of what I鈥檓 hoping to accomplish. I鈥檓 hoping to engage with the culture, the language, history and daily life. Each intern is studying a different field, so I get to learn from each of them on what part of the project they specialize in,鈥� Lee said.

Lee said that 香蕉视频 professors, classes, teaching techniques and the community gave her the tools and skills she needs to apply herself to this internship.

鈥淭he classes I鈥檝e taken have required me to do a lot of research and data collection, so I鈥檇 say that鈥檚 my strong suit. 香蕉视频 also helps me think outside of the box and use critical thinking more,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淎lso, I鈥檝e done a lot of collaboration at 香蕉视频 with the soccer team and just in group projects.鈥�

Lee has used this opportunity to expand her knowledge, contribute towards her future and travel abroad. She plans on going to graduate school, whether that be abroad or staying in the states. She plans on using her new gained skills in her academic and career endeavors.

By Rachel Ritzmann, a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado

What happens when theories of religion, geography, modern life and nature are combined? 香蕉视频 students Emma Morelli and Claire Fuqua went to a five-week Summer Youth Internship (SYI) at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PTS) this past summer to find out.

Fuqua, a sophomore wildlife biology and philosophy & religion major from Woodland Park, Colorado; and Morelli, a senior history major from Thornton, Colorado, were two of 12 students from across the country who were selected for SYI.

SYI is an internship that focuses on finding hope through spiritual practice and theological reflection in times of crisis. The participants did some community organizing and learned about how religion impacts geography and the history of Pittsburgh.

Both students were very excited about being selected and the program itself.

鈥淚t was such a wonderful opportunity,鈥� Morelli said. 鈥淚 wanted to see how different people鈥檚 experiences contrasted with mine.鈥�

Fuqua said that her peers were by far the best part.

鈥淚t was cool to be surrounded by people who were interested in religion and science and how they worked together,鈥� Fuqua said.

During a typical week, Monday and Tuesday mornings were dedicated to workshops, and the afternoons would be for small group discussions. Wednesdays were reserved for Tazi茅 and exploring Pittsburgh and the rich outdoor opportunities in western Pennsylvania. Thursdays were for experimental learning at the Garfield community farms.

Each student received a notebook to write down what they had learned over the five weeks. Their goals were to talk about ecotheology, theological geography and vocation.

Fuqua and Morelli received $3,000 for full participation in the program, and their room, board and travel were covered by a stipend. They will also be eligible to apply for additional funding through the Fellowship for Contextual Ministry and Community Research program.

PTS was founded in the 1790s and is a graduate theological school of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), offering master鈥檚 and doctor of ministry degrees as well as certificate programs. SYI is offered for undergraduate students interested in religion and how it shapes our world.

The two students found out about the program from 香蕉视频 religion professor Dr. Dorothy Dean.

鈥淒r. Dean went out of her way to send me the application,鈥� Fuqua said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter that I get accepted, it matters that they thought of me.鈥�

By Victoria Harris, a communication studies and English double major from Houston, Texas.