Hometown: Beloit, Kansas

Majors: Political Science & Economics

Internship title and company: Office of Postsecondary Education Intern, United States Department of Education

As an intern, Melissa Fontana wasn’t making coffee; she was making a difference. Using the interpersonal and communication skills she learned in her classes, Melissa developed meaningful relationships with students supported by the HALO Foundation. 

Hometown: Highland Park, IL 

Major and Minor: Communication studies major, business minor 

Internship title and company: Youth development intern at The HALO Foundation (Helping Art Liberate Orphans), a non-profit based in Kansas City that supports young people in orphanages and learning centers worldwide.

Garrett Farlow spent his summer halfway around the world in Kazakhstan working to help journalists break away from government censorship and playing sports with the National Special Olympics team. Casual. We asked Garrett to tell us all about this incredible experience and how he overcame the intimidation factor of interning overseas. 

Hometown: Tecumseh, KS 

Majors: Journalism, Slavic Language & Literature and Political Science 

Basically spending her summer as Ross Geller, Brittney Oleniacz had the opportunity to intern with the American Museum of Natural History. She got to visit ALL of the exhibits, hold a moon rock and chill with Neil Degrasse Tyson. Excuse us while we geek out a bit. We asked Brittney to tell us all about her intern days. 

Hometown: Phillipsburg, NJ 

Major: Graduate student in Museum Studies 

Internship title and company: Microfossil Intern, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City 

Hometown: I’ve moved too many times to have one!

Majors: History, Chinese language & literature;

Minor: Indigenous studies

Internship title and organization: Intern for the Program in Latino History & Culture at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH)