PSY Undergrad Internship Spotlight: Madison Williams

June 21, 2024 - Shelly DeJong

The Department of Psychology is proud to celebrate our undergraduate psychology majors who are interning this summer across the country!

Meet Madison Williams, a psychology major interning at Saline Parks and Recreation Kid’s Camp this summer. As an assistant camp director and a camp counselor, Madison is busy with program planning and training junior counselors. Read on to learn more about Madison’s internship experience. 

 

Name: Madison Williams (they/them) 

Year: Senior 

Major: Psychology  

 

What drew you to psychology?  I decided to major in psychology because I have always wanted to find ways to help others. I took an AP psychology class in high school and discussed possible career paths with my teacher, and felt it was the right major for me! 

Where are you interning and what kind of things are you doing through your internship? This summer I am interning at my hometown's rec center. Here, we have a summer camp for children aged 5-12.  Through this internship, I am not only a summer camp counselor, but I am also one of the assistant camp directors. I helped with planning for the program before camp started. I also helped create and facilitate training for our junior counselors, who are volunteers aged 13-14.  

What do you like most about your internship?  This is my third year working with this camp, and I am excited I'm able to take on this role! It's really cool to be able to work with kids in a fun environment. We go on field trips every week to some fun places, like zoos, nature centers, science centers, waterparks, and museums.  

How has your psychology education prepared you for this internship?  My education has definitely helped me be a better counselor for my campers. I have taken some development courses through MSU, and they have helped me understand children and how they process their environment at different ages. The things I have learned while studying psychology help me with creating a safe and fun environment, and how to effectively work with different types of kids, like those on the spectrum.  

What are your hopes for the future?  In the future, I hope to receive a master's in social work and work in either schools or child detention facilities.