SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — Ashley Polanco, a second-year student at Penn State Schuylkill, spent her summer making a difference in the community while gaining professional experience through the campus’ Co-Op program.
Polanco, of Mahanoy City, is majoring in business management and marketing with a minor in corporate communication. She interned with the J.W. Cooper Food Bank in Pottsville, which distributes food to about 3,000 individuals each month and has provided more than 2 million pounds of food since 2012. The food bank is independently operated, not affiliated with government or religious organizations, and relies on fundraising efforts like the annual Cooper Cup golf tournament to cover expenses.
Polanco connected with food bank director Kent Steinmetz during a Co-Op networking event. After learning about the Cooper Cup, she volunteered to help design promotional materials for the tournament, which soon evolved into a full internship. Her responsibilities included creating flyers, recruiting golfers, attending community events to spread awareness, scheduling meetings, taking professional photos and collecting donations.
“I made sure that we met our max capacity of 40 golfers while also securing door prizes,” Polanco said. “After months of preparation, the most satisfying part was watching the tournament succeed.”
Polanco credits the Co-Op program with helping her gain confidence and apply classroom knowledge to real-world projects. She said she was surprised by how supportive the program is, offering students access to alumni, professionals and networking opportunities.
“The Co-Op program helped me realize how much I love marketing,” she said. “I saw this internship as a fun project, not just a job. Creating a flyer, talking to people about an organization and engaging with its culture was a memorable experience.”
Through her work, Polanco developed skills in strategic thinking, public speaking and professionalism. She said the program also helped her “break out of her shell” and better engage with employers and mentors.
Looking ahead, Polanco hopes to work for a local business in management and marketing. She credits her early interest in the field to her time at Schuylkill Technology Center, where she studied business administration and marketing and participated in clubs such as DECA and SkillsUSA.
Her advice to other students considering the Co-Op program is simple: don’t hesitate to connect with professionals.
“The most important piece of advice I would give is to never be afraid to talk to any of the speakers,” Polanco said. “If I hadn’t convinced Kent that I could promote the tournament, I would never have had this incredible opportunity.”