Hometown: Malden, MA

Major and class standing: Interdisciplinary Humanities, Senior

Instagram: @faithmpan

Where you interned: Salt Company, East Lansing, MI

What was your internship title and role/responsibilities?
I was a Salt Company Intern. As an intern, I Ied as a student leader by setting the pace and culture within our leadership team and building meaningful relationships with new students, freshmen, and younger leaders. I helped with planning and executing The Commons Church events and the Salt Company gathering and events, including Thursday Nights, Fall Retreat, Conference, and other events. Served and led our weekly service teams at Salt Company and The Commons Church. Assisted in other Salt Company activities (mission trip team selection, leader interviews, and other activities assigned by Direct Supervisor).

How did you obtain your internship? What resources did you utilize to secure your internship?
I have attended the Salt Company as a student since they started in East Lansing in 2019, and led as a student leader since 2020. From there, I started to want to work in vocational ministry. I expressed my interest to the staff and when they needed to hire interns, I was someone they asked.

What did your daily routine include?
Every day looks a bit different. My weeks consisted of staff meetings, planning for the next events, leading a connection group Monday evening, and attending the midweek gathering of Salt earlier to help set up. If events were arising, I would help brainstorm and set up. I also met and connected with new students weekly.

Your favorite experience from the internship?
My favorite thing about this internship was getting a behind the scene experience of what it is like to work in college ministry. To see that everyone I worked with really wanted to follow the mission statement of the Commons Church and be able to be part of raising up the next set of leaders is so surreal.

What was your least favorite part of the internship?
My least favorite part of the internship was balancing my life as a student and a staff member. Oftentimes, I felt as though I was floating between 2 different stratospheres in my life, never quite fully one or the other.

What skills did you learn and/or build upon during your internship?
I definitely learned how to be more organized and how to keep a schedule.

What did you learn about the industry or your career path as a result of the internship? What are your future plans?
I learned that this is a hard job where you are constantly surrounded by people who all make mistakes. Communication and vulnerability are so important in this field. This internship has really encouraged me to continue to pursue working in vocational ministry, even moving to be part of a different church within the Salt Network.

What advice do you have for other students seeking out internship opportunities?
Don’t be afraid to ask people in the field if a job is open. And be authentically yourself.