history/social sciences 181 A great way that Harding students, both past and present, prepared for their future careers was through summer internships. The summer of 2008 was no exception as a number of students left for their hometowns or somewhere new to engage in practical learning experiences in their respective fields of interest. Some internships helped reassure students that they were doing exactly what they wanted, while others realized they might be interested in a different environment. Senior Christa Mannen, a double major in history and English, conducted her internship with Brown Brooks Publishing Group in Dallas, Texas. Mannen said she spent a lot of her time reviewing manuscripts while at the same time learning how to edit them. She also had the chance to write book reviews and participated in the joy of answering telephones, like many interns had the opportunity to do. “I think my biggest accomplishments were the book reviews I wrote,” Mannen said. “I really enjoyed considering the possibilities for a manuscript and suggesting improvements. I got to read a wide variety of both fiction and non-fiction. I also liked reviewing because it gave me a chance to think analytically and creatively.” Junior political science major Tyler Jones did his internship in Florence, Ala., for Shoals Law Group. “After completing [Harding University Florence] in the spring, I moved back home and went through the yellow pages until I found a legal assistant position,” Jones said. “I controlled information in and out of the office, organized casework and observed court proceedings. Luckily for me, the attorneys I worked for allowed me to explore my journalistic interests by recording witness statements and interviewing new clients.” Jones said that after his experience, he really did not see himself becoming a lawyer in the same capacity as those he worked for over the summer; however, he did feel it was a beneficial experience. “A lot of people would call in a panic, and I was the first person they would talk to,” Jones said. “The law is so overwhelming to them, and I got to be a part of assuring them that the lawyers are interested in them as people. Not every lawyer views their clients as file folders.” Also a history major, senior Erin Williams chose a slightly different venue in America’s legal system. Williams began interning for the Kansas State District Court in Harvey County Kansas in June. While Williams said she did not shoulder much responsibility during her internship, she did get to do a great deal of observation within the court system. “I saw lots of cases from various types of defendants,” Williams said. “Though some cases were more difficult to hear than others, all of them were interesting, and I really enjoyed learning how the law applied in all the cases.” Williams said her time at her internship helped her narrow her focus on her career path. She said another large benefit was the amount of contacts she made over the summer. While these Harding students put in a lot of hard work and hours over the summer in 2008, they all concluded that they learned a lot from their various internships. There were many positives that came from summer internships, and benefits would continue to come throughout their careers as a result. “All internships show you the skills and insight needed to deal with real people in your profession,” Jones said. “You get to see and interact with people who live that profession every day and see how it affects them. That is invaluable information as you decide on a career path.” Zach Welch Experience Political science students as summer interns
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