Flint Study Away Internship Spotlight – Izzy Kupe
July 16, 2024 - Shelly DeJong
Meet Izzy Kupe, a 4th-year psychology major who is interning in the youth services department at Peckham. This internship is through the Flint Study Away Internship Program, a credit-bearing summer internship program where MSU undergraduates live, work, and study within the city of Flint for 8-10 weeks. Learn more about Izzy’s internship experience below.
What drew you to a psych major with minors in cognitive science and creative writing?
I've always been interested in why people do certain things and why people perceive the world differently. Those different aspects of human nature have always fascinated me. I explore these interests a lot through different forms of media, like books, movies, and games. This is why I combined cognitive science and psychology with creative writing-- they complement each other in many ways.
What made you decide to take part in the Flint Study Away program?
After completing my third year at MSU, I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for my career. When the internship opportunity landed in my inbox, I thought it could be a good idea to help me figure out what I want to do. The program matched my interests with relevant opportunities in Flint so I ended up getting an internship that would help me explore my interests. Already I’m learning what aspects of the internship I might want to explore further in a career. It has helped show me that I really like talking to the kids in a one-on-one structure. I’m also interested in running assessments of the kids and seeing how we could work with them on different issues.
Can you tell us about your internship?
Peckham helps people who have different limitations when it comes to being able to be successful in a work environment, such as financial limitations or disabilities, by providing them with the necessary tools to be successful. The youth services department does that specifically for the population of teens, those are the people that I'm working with specifically.
A typical day begins with the kids going to a classroom in the morning to work on their schoolwork, helping them catch up to their grade level or maintain their current grade. In the afternoon, they take part in various programs aimed at their development, such as leadership training and financial literacy including budgeting. We spend a lot of time engaging the kids with the community, too. Recently, we helped renovate Martin Luther King Park. There are also intervention programs for behavioral issues, along with sessions with therapists. Recently, my supervisor and I have been reviewing files and I will soon start learning the process of inputting information into the system and understanding how to select which kids to work with.
Has anything surprised you about the internship experience so far?
I was surprised by how relaxed and laid-back the staff were. I had initially expected a more serious atmosphere, but everyone has been super casual and approachable. It's refreshing to walk in and see everyone joking around and being chill. It was not what I had expected, but I definitely appreciate the laid-back vibe.
Would you recommend the Flint Study Away program?
I would definitely recommend the program, especially if you're in the same ballpark as me where you're trying to figure out your future career path. The program coordinator, Cathy White, is great at selecting organizations that she thinks may align with your interests. The other recommendations she gave me were similar and social based, which resonated with my interests. I've heard from others in the program who have way different jobs than mine because they have different interests. The opportunities offered are helpful and very immersive.
The social aspect of the program has also been nice. Recently, I met with other interns in the Flint area, many of whom were MSU students. It was interesting to see the commonalities between us. It was reassuring to realize that I'm not alone in my experiences and feelings. Networking with others who have similar career aspirations was helpful—it helped me gain insights and ideas from other students my own age.