Bishop Elevated
Ohio Wesleyan Sophomore Says On-Campus Internship 'Seemed Like My Calling'
Name: Katie Fink '27
Hometown: Delaware, Ohio
High School: Rutherford B. Hayes High School
Majors: Psychology and Communication
Minor: Sociology
OWU Connection Experience: Communication internship with the Bishop Elevate Office, which has a mission to "empower and support first-generation students on their journey to academic excellence, personal growth, and professional success."
'An Incredible Resource'
"When I first came to OWU, I had no idea what a first-generation student was," Fink says. "After learning about the first-gen office, I realized that I was one of those students, as neither of my parents has a bachelor's degree. I thought Bishop Elevate was an incredible resource for first-gen students like me, and I adored the support that the people in the office provided for others."
"My supervisor is Thea Smekens (director of First-Gen Student Success and Bishop Elevate). She has been incredibly supportive throughout my internship experience. I've also collaborated and created content for faculty members such as Dina Daltorio (director of Student Involvement) and helped to create a flyer for the Division of Student Engagement and Success."
Powerful New Skills
"When I saw an internship opening, I absolutely wanted to apply for it. It seemed like my calling; the internship was in the communication field. I would be working with digital media, I would get to help people similar to myself, and, as a plus, the hours were incredibly flexible and worked well with my schedule.
"This experience would allow me to develop new skills that would be perfect for my majors and learn about myself in a relaxed and flexible environment. It seemed like a great option."
'A Sense of Individuality'
"Having an internship like this can help someone develop a sense of individuality, contribute to the campus community, and use their own ideas and creativity in their work. This particular experience is helpful for anyone interested in digital media as it teaches many technological skills.
"Internships also allow students to explore a field they may have an interest in under mentorship, and it is helpful to know that they are never truly alone in this process."
I've learned to trust myself more when working on projects and embrace my creativity. My contributions are important, and I have grown in my confidence to identify small and important details.
Confidence-Building Work
"I have learned a lot about myself during my working experience. I've learned to trust myself more when working on projects and embrace my creativity. My contributions are important, and I have grown in my confidence to identify small and important details.
"These ideas are especially applicable to the classroom, as I have become more comfortable in expressing my contributions and creativity during group conversations. … Additionally, digital media is something that sparks my creativity and, no matter what field I go into, having technological skills can be useful.
"I've learned how to create and edit social media posts, and if I decide to work more with media in my future career, I can use those abilities to enhance my creations. As someone who wants to spend my career helping other people, I can use my media skills to promote events that provide sufficient support and resources, and, to me, that sounds incredibly rewarding."
My Favorite Moment
"My amazing supervisor, Thea, took me out to lunch on my birthday! It was incredibly sweet and such a memorable experience. I left campus for about an hour and enjoyed a lunch and discussion with her. It was the best way to celebrate and discuss our interests in a relaxed setting."
Involvement Outside the Classroom
"I am vice president of the Anime Club, an alto singer in the a cappella group "The Owtsiders," a member of Film Club, and I occasionally participate in theatre opportunities. I was also a camp leader over the summer for Camp Oh-Wooo, which was so fun!"
Why OWU?
"I'm from Delaware, so I've always known about OWU and kept it on my radar when searching for universities to attend. It was close to my home, which I saw as a benefit, as I could still be close to my family.
"After visiting the campus, I fell in love with it. I found the architecture of many buildings to be beautiful, and the small campus size was important to me. Additionally, I loved the opportunities it seemed OWU provided their students.
"I loved the idea of the OWU Connection and how passionate everyone seemed about helping students succeed. Going into college undecided, I knew OWU would be a great school to help me develop myself and my academic interests."
Plans After Graduation
"I haven't completely decided, but I'm fairly certain I'll go into graduate school. Career Connection has been especially helpful in figuring out ideas for potential career paths and how to prepare for life outside of OWU.
"Because of offices like Bishop Elevate and Career Connection, I have learned interviewing skills, how to build my resume, and how to build connections with people, all of which are incredibly important to me and relieve any stress I have about my post-graduation plans.
"I would love to continue exploring other experiences, and I feel grateful that I have the opportunity to do that here at OWU."