After my study-abroad internship fell through because of Covid-19 I had two choices. Those choices being to complete a virtual internship or to quickly apply for another one. I searched for internships all around including those in different states. As the search was coming to an end, I asked myself a personal question, “why am I not looking for opportunities in Boone, NC?” As a student-athlete at Appalachian State, we are asked to, “Give our all for App State.” However, App State nor the Boone community gave their all to me. So why would I spend my last couple of months giving even more of my time and efforts?
This exact reason is why I applied to be an intern at Hospitality House. The mission and values state nothing about building their organization everything evolves around helping the individual and the population experiencing homelessness. Finally, a place that cares about the community and the people in it. Their success is measured by the impact the organization makes on those in need.
I chose this internship with hopes to narrow down the path I would take to continue my educational journey. Mission accomplished!!!!
As an intern, I prepared and served meals for the patrons. The physical effort, mental preparedness, and team planning that goes into serving 3 meals every day, including snacks, can only be understood by one if you are there doing it. My favorite memory as an intern was a day where the team was ahead on task and my supervisor instructed us to just create. Being able to do two of the things I love, cook, and help those in need, is an experience that I may not be able to re-live but will always be one that I cherish.
Thank you to the team for making my internship memorable and teaching me a lot of lessons! Keep following your purpose!
Signing Out,
Samara Gibson