By Mannah Mace
Who would think that a sophomore in college could help put on some of the largest events in the nation when they still have two years of school left? I sure did not. Between having to think about scheduling classes to fit a full time internship, being much younger in school than the rest of the applicants, and living over an hour away from the internship site, I never thought that I would be able to have the dream internship of working at the 500 Festival.
Now, a disclaimer: The 500 Festival is not the same as the Indianapolis 500. The 500 Festival is a not-for-profit that produces life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500 and foster a positive impact on the city of Indianapolis and state of Indiana. The 500 Festival works closely with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but that is it. Because the 500 Festival is a non –profit organization, it relies on volunteers to help produce the events. With a staff of eighteen and then eleven interns in the spring, volunteers have a huge role.
Now this is where I get to what I did in the Spring of 2018. I was selected from a large pool of applicants to be the volunteer program intern for the 2018 Season. In 2017, I was selected to be a 500 Festival Princess. This is a leadership program that develops young women into leaders of today. Through this program I learned about the 500 Festival Internship Program and thought ‘Why not apply, what will it hurt?’ And that is how a sophomore in college obtained an internship with one of the nation’s top not-for-profit event and program companies.
“You Are [Not] Too Young for an Internship”
Some people think an internship in sophomore year is too soon. I beg to differ. Getting an internship early helps you in so many ways. You grow connections and business relationships, you gain experience for future internships and jobs, and you gain life skills that cannot be taught in a classroom. Of course it is a little tricky to balance a full time internship and staying on track to have the classes you need, while remaining a full time student, but I promise you; IT IS POSSIBLE! Going to a small school like Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College allows you to do this. I was able to find this internship my freshman year so, I worked and planned with my advisor and SMWC’s Career Development Center to make sure I was able to do it.
I took the internship class for six credit hours because I was working 40+ hours a week, then I took two online classes each for three credit hours (one the first eight weeks and one the second) so I would remain a full time student with twelve credit hours. If you plan ahead, this is no problem at all, because I took extra classes in the fall to keep me on track for the average fifteen credits a semester. I grew so much because I learned how to balance work, school and social life calendar. I think I will be able to handle anything that comes my way this upcoming fall.
Go where your dream internship takes you
My dream internship was an hour and a half away from campus. I had no worries about my internship being in Indianapolis because I met an alum my freshman year who was kind enough to open her house to me to stay in for the six months I was there. Peggy became my second mom really fast. But I think that story is for another time. Regardless, the lesson to be learned here is that no matter where your internship is located, there will be an alum there to help you, you just have to seek them out!
About the Author
Mannah Mace
Mannah is Junior at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She is very active on and off campus. She is a member of the SMWC soccer team, a Junior Class Officer, and on the Ethics Bowl Team. When not busy in class you can catch her working in the Admission and Advancement Offices. Mannah is studying Business Administration with a minor in Spanish. One day she hopes to be an International Business Lawyer, but in the near future she would love to get into event planning with non-for-profits. Huge IndyCar fan, and when she has some free time she enjoys being a volunteer for Girl Scouts and 4-H.
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