Local Nonprofit Creates Unique Internship Opportunities for Business Students
Business Department Chair Lee Sellers is passionate about integrating practical experience into his students’ education. So when Andrew Stone at Kingdom Ministries needed interns to help support his young nonprofit, an on-going partnership was created.
“It seemed like a good opportunity to give young people real world experience while helping the organization grow more efficiently,” says Stone, who started the Portland nonprofit with his father, Multnomah alumnus Kevin Stone. Joined by their families, the father-son team equips ministries in Italy by connecting them to volunteers who serve in their summer camps, English classes and city festivals.
Mike Kamlade, Lindsey Weaver, Miranda Schmillen, Grant Warner and Lucia Morud are the interns supporting this mission. Over the course of the school year, the five business majors have diligently worked in finance, marketing and project management roles to promote, arrange and fund this year’s summer camps. They’ll see the culmination of their work in June when they travel with other Kingdom Ministries volunteers to Italy.
Although they’ve encountered a number of hurdles throughout the planning process, the interns say the hiccups are undeniably constructive. “It’s teaching me to adapt to my surroundings and be open to learning new things,” says finance intern Mike Kamlade.
Project management intern Lindsey Weaver had to adapt too. “Once you get out of the classroom and deal with people in real life, it changes things,” she says.“I looked for this kind of opportunity in high school, but nothing ever came up.” Weaver’s duties include liaising with contacts, coordinating schedules and planning trip logistics.
Miranda Schmillen, who’s responsible for tracking donations and budgeting, admits the internship would be much harder if she was unequipped. But luckily she has a semester of accounting under her belt. “My accounting class totally helped me,” says the finance intern.
Stone’s instruction has only built upon students’ knowledge, and his attentiveness has inspired them to do their best. “He’s super ambitious and has these huge ideas, but he’s also hands-on and shows you how to do things,” says Schmillen.
Stone has simply created an optimal space for trial, error and learning.“They’re getting experience they won’t get anywhere else,” he says. “It’s a very safe environment to learn in.”
It may have been safe, but it wasn’t easy. The interns have bonded through shared struggles and successions — and they’ve emerged stronger than ever. “This internship has blessed me more than I expected because of the relationships I’ve built with the other interns and the Stone family,” says Kamlade. “They are all great people.”
For more information about this internship and Kingdom Ministries, visit BuildingTheKingdom.org.
April 15, 2016 | News