McKEESPORT, Pa. — Social work student Dawn Rees and business student Tika Shankar recently put classroom theory into practice while interning with South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM), where they helped provide food, clothing, and social services to residents of Allegheny County. At Penn State Greater Allegheny, that type of experience is by design.
The campus offers structured, one-credit internship preparation courses that connect students with opportunities, individualized advising and professional development resources — including resume reviews, interview preparation and access to an unpaid internship fund. The approach aims to ensure students graduate not only with a degree, but with practical experience, industry connections and career-ready skills.
Building on that foundation, Rees, under the guidance of supervisor Courtney Macurak and faculty adviser Kiera Mallett, and Shankar, working with supervisor Rachel White and faculty internship director Rosemary Martinelli, took on roles at SHIM that strengthened the skills they had developed in the classroom.
Rees served as an intake and service coordinator, she said, where she worked directly with individuals and families to assess their needs and connect them with internal and external resources. She provided advocacy and support for basic and emergency assistance, including food, clothing and utilities, while collaborating with senior staff on service coordination and participating in supervision sessions. She also managed documentation and tracked special funding and grants, gaining practical experience with Allegheny County’s social service systems and building meaningful connections with multicultural communities.
Meanwhile, Shankar said, she focused on marketing and fundraising, creating web-based promotional materials, learning fundraising tracking software, and helping coordinate special events. She aimed to raise awareness of the organization’s services in communities where such support might be unfamiliar, while helping reduce the stigma around seeking assistance and ensuring that more residents could access the help they needed.
Penn State Greater Allegheny gives students real-world experience through internships that put classroom learning into action, build confidence, and help explore career paths with guidance from experienced mentors. Schedule a visit today and learn how the campus helps students earn a degree while gaining hands-on experience.
Information for potential employers
Employers interested in providing students with internship opportunities can submit information through Greater Allegheny's internship opportunity form or email Rosemary Martinelli, internship director, at rum31@psu.edu. All the details don't need to be figured out, just have a good idea and willingness to guide a student.