
This spring, Appalachian State University alumna Megan Broome ’21, of Cherryville, served as an intern at Horizons Elementary School in Lenoir as part of the State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) Public Fellows Intern Program. The program helps students develop their professional skills as they work with leaders of community-based businesses, nonprofits or government agencies. Broome earned a B.S. in social work from App State. Photo submitted
BOONE, N.C. — The State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) Public Fellows Intern Program, funded by the SECU Foundation, afforded nine Appalachian State University students the opportunity to complete internships this past spring, with an additional seven students completing internships in summer 2021.
The program is designed to help students develop their professional skills as they work with leaders of community-based businesses, nonprofits or government agencies, and students receive funding to support themselves during the internship.
“The intern experience greatly enhances students’ education and future career,” said Dr. Susan McCracken, director of career development and economic engagement at App State. “It has been a real joy to provide students with this opportunity, to see their accomplishments and watch where their career paths move forward. We’re thankful for SECU Foundation’s ongoing partnership and support to make this internship program such a success.”
Since 2015, more than 120 App State students have been able to fully invest in and focus on a professional, full-time internship thanks to the program, McCracken shared.
Intern Emily Rodriguez ’21, of Boone, had this to say about her SECU Public Fellows opportunity: “My internships with Caldwell County Department of Social Services will give me the impactful learning experiences I need to better serve this community and similar communities as a social worker.” Rodriguez graduated from App State this spring with a Bachelor of Science in social work.
SECU Foundation’s investment totals $850,000 and provides students with local apprenticeship opportunities in rural, underserved communities. App State undergraduate students participating in the university’s ACCESS Scholarship Program, as well as degree-seeking undergraduate students in the Department of Government and Justice Studies and the Department of Social Work, are eligible to apply.
The internship program was first announced in 2015, collaborating with the University of North Carolina System for a three-campus pilot. The success of the pilot, along with the growing need for paid undergraduate internships, led the SECU Foundation to expand the program’s reach to 15 UNC campuses:
- App State
- East Carolina University
- Elizabeth City State University
- Fayetteville State University
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University
- North Carolina Central University
- North Carolina State University
- UNC Asheville
- UNC-Chapel Hill
- UNC Charlotte
- UNC Greensboro
- UNC Pembroke
- UNC Wilmington
- Western Carolina University
- Winston-Salem State University
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About the Career Development Center
The Career Development Center at Appalachian State University supports the mission of the university and its Division of Student Affairs in developing lifelong learners and leaders by engaging and challenging students within a culture of care and inclusion. Students who participate in the center’s services are able to identify core values, beliefs and skills and use them to articulate relatable career goals; acquire transferable skills and relevant experiences for future professional endeavors; and utilize resources that are available to gain experiential learning opportunities and cultivate professional networks. Learn more at https://careers.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.