Local internships foster growth of North Park students.
By: Kaprice Dal Cerro BA’15
From teaching second graders and helping young mothers to developing content for local day camps, North Park students discover their potential through transformative internships. These experiences help students grow professionally and personally and connect them to Chicago’s diverse communities. In the process, students find their place within the city.
“My number one goal and objective is that our students are around good leaders, whether they be pastors in churches or leaders of nonprofits because they need to learn from people,” said Bret Widman, director of contextual and lifelong learning
at North Park Theological Seminary. “Helping people understand the king- dom of God and how God functions in the world is our primary goal, and to be a leader like that.”
Dedicated faculty members, like Widman, serve as guides and inspirations as students face new challenges at their internships. Seminary students can choose from 20 different internship partner sites in Chicago, including churches and nonprofits.
Yoshhisa Tori Mack, a third-year Master of Divinity student, interned with New Moms, an organization that supports young mothers in Chicago. The internship challenged Mack, broadened her perspective, and showed her that she can find God in unexpected places. It reaffirmed her belief that real change happens when people listen, connect, and journey together.
“All I knew was a traditional church setting, being a church kid and pastor,” Mack said. “Being able to see God move outside of a Sunday morning service is what made me wonder, what else is God doing? It was a stretch and a growth point for me.”
Alongside the growing pains and nerves, students discover their unique skills and passions, which increases their self-confidence. Georgi Kyosev, a senior majoring in business, remembers being terrified at first about internships. But after interning with 2020 Companies, a marketing agency, he started to believe in himself.
“I learned that when you develop relationships with your team, you build trust, and I felt like a leader,” Kyosev said.
“North Park taught me to bring my confidence, strength, and skills. After this experience, I feel I can be a leader one day.” —EMILY GONZALEZ
Arianna Valentin, an advertising major who worked as a marketing intern at Apachi Day Camp in Chicago, spent her time creating and sharing daily content about the happenings of the camp. “At the beginning of the internship, I was very intimidated,” Valentin said. “Being able to feel good about what I was doing was very fulfilling. If I never had this experience, I would not have connected with others in my field. The internship brought me clarity and experience.”
Dan Walsh, interim dean of North Park’s School of Education, helps arrange internships in city schools. He says students often have preconceived notions about what it’s like inside those classrooms and often are pleasantly surprised.
“The student gets to experience the gratification of helping kids who need support,” Walsh said. “Having not had the experience until they walk into the classroom, they may have a perception of what their skill set is and what they want to do. That may change, and that’s why we like to give them options.”
“My number one goal and objective is that our students are around good leaders, whether they be pastors in churches or leaders of nonprofits because they need to learn from people.”—BRET WIDMAN
Shawn Duncan BA ’23 is now a second-grade teacher at Portage Park Elementary School. His time at North Park taught him that teaching wasn’t just a profession but a service.
“You learn to trust your experiences that got you where you are,” Duncan said. “I remember my first day stepping into Portage Park School.
It was a big day for me. I walked in, smelled the hallway, and thought, ‘I’m here!’ I was where I was supposed to be.”
Emily Gonzalez, a senior majoring in business, interned with NorthShore University HealthSystem, where she worked on social media and digital campaigns.
“I was a nervous wreck going into this,” Gonzalez said. “I had never done this before. I took on new challenges, created strategies, and implemented them.” She adds: “North Park taught me to bring my confidence, strength, and skills. After this experience, I feel I can be a leader one day.”
North Parkers who have had internships prove they aren’t merely about gaining job experience, but are about becoming leaders who will go on to make positive changes in Chicago and beyond.