Sasha Beloglazova

Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Major and class standing: English, Junior
Where you interned: Refugee Development Center, East Lansing, Michigan

What was your internship title and role/responsibilities?
I interned with the youth mentoring program at the Refugee Development Center (RDC). I worked in a classroom with two other teachers. I mostly helped the teachers with lesson planning. My responsibilities specifically included creating English (grammar oriented) lessons meant for high school aged students.

How did you obtain your internship? What resources did you utilize to secure your internship?
I discovered this internship from a College of Arts & Letters’ Newsletter that was emailed to me. The youth mentoring program interested me so I applied!

What did your daily routine include?
My daily routine began with arriving an hour before classes started. I would set up the classroom and print out any needed materials for the day. I would also greet the students and their parents before class started. This allowed me some time to get to know the students better.

Your favorite experience from the internship?
My favorite experience from my internship was a time when we got to go outside. It was like a little recess moment! It was a nice day and I got to just spend time with the students, get to know them more, and just have fun. Also, all of the directors and the staff team that work at the RDC are lovely people. Meeting all kinds of people from all different backgrounds was also a very heart-warming experience.

What was your least favorite part of the internship?
Because this was my first teaching experience, it was nerve wracking. To go into a classroom and just start teaching was scary, but that is the only way to do it. That is exactly what happened in my experience, and I am actually very grateful for that.

What skills did you learn and/or build upon during your internship?
I learned a lot about nonprofits and teaching through this experience. Since this was my first time teaching in a real class setting, I learned many useful skills which included class preparation. This experience was insightful and boosted my confidence. I gained many new skills, which I wouldn’t have if I had not applied for this internship.

What did you learn about the industry or your career path as a result of the internship? What are your future plans?
I learned a lot through my experience, especially about the nature of nonprofits and teaching in general. I’m an English major and I want to go into language learning, so my experience at the RDC was incredibly helpful and eye opening. It made me excited about my future career goals.

What advice do you have for other students seeking out internship opportunities?
My best advice for future interns is to just get out there and apply for those internships. Getting out there and trying something new is the only way you will know if you enjoy doing something.