The center, located in the nation’s capital since 1976, is a program of 91¶ÌÊÓƵ.

The semester-long experience is also a community-building endeavor, with students living together in the Nelson Good House in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C. This semester’s placements include several organizations that are longtime hosts of 91¶ÌÊÓƵ students, highlighting WCSC’s deep ties within the region. Many alumni can trace their careers back to a pivotal experience at WCSC.

Read on to learn more about the students, their placements and the organizations they are involved with. 

Iris Anderson, a psychology and sociology major from Corvallis, Oregon, is with the peace education program . She helps facilitate circles at after-school programs, a mens shelter and other groups to teach “skills for peace” or education on social-emotional health.

“I have been going to a wide variety of schools and have learned a lot about how a child’s environment can impact the way they interact with and learn about the world around them,” she said.

Tatiana Ayala, a social work major from Stafford, Virginia, is with the (LAYC). She is teaching, case managing and providing translation services at the organization, which provides services to youth such as safe housing, food, mental health, and virtual learning opportunities.

“I think the most significant learning experience I have had is helping clients with SNAP and Medicaid benefits as well as helping them navigate the DMV to get an ID and social security number,” she said.

Micaiah Coleman, a business administration major from Farmville, Virginia, is with the (WACIF). The nonprofit organization’s mission is to promote equity and economic opportunity in underserved neighborhoods in the Washington, D.C., region by getting financial capital and business advice to low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs. Read more about student experiences at WACIF.

Nardos Haile, a social work major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is with . She shadows case managers and team members at the nonprofit, which supports incarcerated and newly released individuals in their transition back to the community. Some of her day-to-day work includes assisting clients with resume building and navigating government forms for SNAP and Medicaid, finding housing solutions, and scheduling appointments for intake sessions or workforce development meetings.

“This internship is a constant learning experience for me, from paperwork to setting up TracFones for clients,” Haile said. “It’s a dynamic environment where I pick up new skills every day, including practicing de-escalation techniques to meet clients right where they are.”

Abigail Hickok, a history education major from Hickory, North Carolina, is with the . She archives the work of the center’s longtime education specialist to make it accessible for researchers after her retirement.

“It’s been helpful to get a sense of what museum work entails and to be involved in meetings concerning archives and artifacts, as well as getting to meet researchers and learn more about their work,” Hickok said.

Kervens Hyppolite, a computer science major from Richmond, Virginia, is with . He works with the cybersecurity team to set up client devices on Azure, trains clients how to use KnowBe4 and runs vulnerability assessments on client networks and websites.

“Being able to communicate with clients and educate them is a big part of what most analysts do on a day-to-day basis, and having that experience is going to be key for me as I enter the field,” he said.

Zachary Kennell, a Bethel College biology and business major from Newton, Kansas, is with . He works with certified prosthetists and orthotists to provide care to patients who have lost function in one or more extremities. Observing how clinicians interact and adapt to the needs of different patients has led to many learning experiences, he said.

Natalie Ladd, a social work major from Waldron, Michigan, and Hesston, Kansas, is with , an organization that provides legal, social and language services to low-income immigrants in the D.C. area. Some of her tasks include helping clients fill out forms for Medicaid, SNAP or online therapy; researching resources for clients; assessing their needs at intake sessions; and attending events to provide information about resources.

“I really enjoy working as a case manager and am looking for a similar job for after I graduate,” Ladd said. “I also have used this semester to work on my Spanish more as the majority of our clients speak Spanish.”

Anna Tieszen, an accounting and mathematics major from Harrisonburg, Virginia, is with the , where she assists the finance department in matching invoices and getting them approved to be paid. She said she has also worked on transferring information between systems.

“Getting to dip my toes into the accounting field for a few months has given me the chance to see how accounting works throughout a business and keeps that business running behind the scenes,” Tieszen said.

Aidan Yoder, a political science and history major from Kalona, Iowa, is with the ‘s Washington office. At MCC he’s focused on the issues of climate change and militarism, which involves being active in several interfaith working groups to coordinate their efforts. He’s written articles, made educational TikToks and processed organizational sign-on letters to indicate MCC’s support for certain issues.

“My most significant experience from my internship at MCC has been learning how organizations can work together in a way to multiply the impact that they would have had on their own,” Yoder said.

Summer 2023 placements included:

• Justin Aggrey, a digital media and communication major from Culpeper, Virginia, at video production company Washington Digital Media.
• Laura Benner, an engineering and computer science major from Telford, Pennsylvania, at the Smithsonian National Zoo.
• Ben Childers, a liberal arts major from Chesterfield, Virginia, at the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington.
• Gelila Dibekulu, an economics and political science major from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at nonprofit financial reform organization Jubilee USA Network.
• Clare Henschel, a Viterbo University psychology major from Kiel, Wisconsin, at Little Friends for Peace.
• Ethan Klassen, an engineering major from Mountain Lake, Minnesota, at HVAC and plumbing contractor Shapiro & Duncan Inc.
• Zoey Mongold, a history & social science and secondary education major from Mathias, West Virginia, at Sumner School Museum and Archives.
• Isaac Sawin, a nursing major from Harrisonburg, Virginia, at Bread for the City, which provides food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to low-income residents.
• Lily Simpson, a social work major from Limerick, Pennsylvania, at affordable housing nonprofit Jubilee Housing.
• Will Stutzman, a music interdisciplinary studies major from Denver, Colorado, at The Keegan Theatre.

Jamie Reich, WCSC’s associate director of communications and recruitment, collaborated on this article.

UPDATE: Read more about WCSC success! Grads Tessa Waidelich and Terry Jones find full-time work after their internships.

The following 14 students, all from 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, are living together this summer in the Nelson Good House in the Brookland neighborhood. From there, they’ll learn how their academic fields can be applied to the workforce, and explore some of Washington’s cultural and historic attractions.

Lene Andrawas, of Harrisonburg, Va., is a peacebuilding and development major with minors in Spanish and Bible and Religion. This summer, Andrawas is interning at , which runs “Peace Camps” as well as after-school, in-school, and adult programs that impart skills for preventing, resolving, and transforming conflict. 

Lexi Beard, a biology major from Arlington, Va., is an intern with , an organization that rescues and rehabilitates wild animals such as songbirds, possums, squirrels, and ducks. Beard’s responsibilities range from preparing meals for the animal patients, tracking their weights, and cleaning their habitats. 

Myles Crawley, of Dumfries, Va., is a business administration major with a minor in computer science. He’s interning at the , where he’s updating their website with new information on organizations listed in their directory of resources. 

“I like it because it’s geared toward management and I hope to be a leader in some capacity one day,” Crawley said. 

Lesly Garcia, a psychology and writing studies major from Richmond, Va., is an intern with the . The program is a long-term client management intervention model to help disconnected and disengaged youth achieve educational, employment, and healthy living goals. 

Garcia is currently working with high school students, as well as shadowing promotores who do house visitations and organize activities “that benefit the Latinx community and those in need.”

Jaden Jones, of Lancaster, Pa., is an environmental sustainability, political science, and pre-law major. Jones is an intern at , focusing on the connection between climate change and federal policy. 

“I spend most of my time speaking with senators, climate working groups, and representatives in different MCC communities around the globe,” Jones said. “I also will be participating in the filming of a documentary with CNBC about climate migration. My internship will culminate in a policy recommendation memo which will be distributed to MCC’s constituents.”

Terry Jones, a computer science major from Palmyra, Va., is an intern at the Smithsonian Institution’s , where he’s charged with system administration tasks.

“The bulk of my work is troubleshooting, along with being able to talk to the user and walk them step-by-step during that process,” Jones said. “This has helped develop my skills greatly.” 

Philip Krabill of Elkhart, Ind., is a double major in peacebuilding and development and Bible, religion and theology with a minor in honors. Krabill is an intern with Faith in Action’s , a coalition that supports those who “fear being detained, deported, or profiled,” according to their website. Krabill has been preparing meals for and otherwise supporting people who are fasting to lobby Congress to create an easier path to citizenship. 

“Getting to participate in staff meetings with experienced community organizers will help me learn about and develop skills I need for my future,” Krabill said. 

Sara Beth Mumbauer, an elementary education major from Staunton, Va., is an intern at , which organizes, advocates for, and expands opportunities for Latino and immigrant people. Mumbauer’s internship centers around policy issues, and she spends her days writing memos on reports and legal cases that are related to CASA’s work. 

“I think my most significant learning experience will be getting to have discussions with people that are directly affected by the policies of different states and the federal government,” Mumbauer said.

Ignacio Ocaranza, of Highland Springs, Va., is a digital media and communications and photography major. Ocaranza is an intern with , a video production company that offers a variety of creative services. Ocaranza recently finished his first assignment: a short film documenting a day in the life of the company. 

“Getting more hands-on experience with camera work and working in a professional environment will be a great learning experience,” Ocaranza said.

Billy Quinn, of Ashburn, Va., is a marketing major with a minor in business. His internship is at the , where he’s putting together their annual report and assisting with a documentary that will tell the history of the YMCA.

Kayley Scottlind, of Salem, Ore., is majoring in biology and Spanish language and Hispanic studies. Her internship is at , which provides food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to low-income residents. Scottlind is conducting patient experience surveys in English and Spanish, assisting with referrals and registration for services, and occasionally interpreting for Spanish-speaking patients.

Chris Simmons, a business administration major from Culpeper, Va., is interning at the city’s , which “supports the development, economic growth, and retention of District-based businesses, and promotes economic development throughout the District’s commercial corridors,” according to their website.

Matthew Troyer, a biochemistry major from Holmes County, Ohio, is an intern at , a residential medical facility that provides comprehensive healthcare for sick homeless persons in the city. Troyer’s responsibilities are to provide companionship for patients, escort them to and from appointments, raise funds, and communicate with donors. 

“I anticipate that understanding the health implications of homelessness and better understanding some of the social determinants of health will be my most significant learning experience,” he said.

Tessa Waidelich, a computer science major from Pettisville, Ohio, is an intern at , which provides technological support for nonprofit organizations. There, she’s doing computer system maintenance and “playing with firewalls.” 

“It sounds like I’ll be getting a little bit of everything,” Waidelich said. Soon, “I will be working directly with one of Community IT’s clients on site! It is a public charter school, and I will be setting up new computers for the upcoming school year.”