Westfield State University student Tiara Lewis gained real-world experience through her internship with LIFT-DC Community Services. Now, she plans to continue her education and follow her passion for helping others.
Where are you interning and what are some of your responsibilities there?
I interned at LIFT-DC Community Services, a nonprofit organization that helps parents who are in poverty. My responsibilities were having daily coaching meetings with members and providing them with any resources they needed to be their best selves.
Tell us about a project you worked on during your internship that was your favorite, the most challenging, or the most exciting.
My favorite and most challenging project during my internship was meeting with members. I loved talking with members and being able to help in any way that I could. This project was challenging because a connection gets built with members, and it can feel like not enough time is spent with them while being a summer coaching intern.
How have you expanded your professional network during your time with TWC?
I’ve expanded my professional network by doing informational interviews with licensed social workers. I've also had many great conversations with my internship supervisor, who gave me so much guidance in regard to my career path.
My internship helped me realize my passion for working with children and teenagers. This experience also impacted my career goals by helping me decide to get a master’s degree in social work.
How has this experience impacted your career goals?
My internship helped me realize my passion for working with children and teenagers. This experience also impacted my career goals by helping me decide to get a master’s degree in social work. I learned that, with a master’s degree in social work, there's an endless amount of routes that I can take and being open to all opportunities is important.
What was your proudest accomplishment during your TWC experience?
My proudest accomplishment during my TWC experience was being away from my family during the summer and growing as a person and young adult. I've also grown in my abilities and feel I'm equipped with better skills for my future employment.
Let The Washington Center Help
Internships are one of the best ways to learn more about your industry, get hands-on experience under your belt and build a well-rounded skill set. As part of our Academic Internship Program, we partner with hundreds of internship sites around the country, and will work closely with you to find the internship that best aligns with your career goals and interests.
Learn more about the Academic Internship Program.
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