Working as a student intern
Balancing an internship, along with other responsibilities such as being a student, working as an Resident Advisor (RA), and being a writer on The Wheel staff can be difficult. Though most days become those of a typical college student一caffeine, class, grinding out homework, and getting to my other responsibilities一there are days that stray from that monotony.
These days are the ones I go into the office. I wake up around 7:30 AM to get ready, eat breakfast, pack a lunch, and get dressed into something that can withstand whatever I might be doing that day. I take the short walk across campus to the bus stop, and travel across Saint Paul to my destination, Mano a Mano.
Student interns working to sort various medical equipment. Photo from Mano a Mano Facebook page.
Mano a Mano is a nonprofit that started back in 1994 from the founders’ backyard. Since then, it has grown enough to take up a large warehouse space in St. Paul. Mano a Mano is rooted in Bolivia, the home country of one of the co-founders. It started off as an organization that donated medical supplies, and has since expanded to cover a wide variety of projects that are funded in various means. They work closely with communities to help build clinics, schools, roads, agricultural support, and other necessities. Mano a Mano takes donations of various supplies, including medical equipment, school supplies, and construction equipment to ship to their local partner in Bolivia. From there, the supplies go to different sources to fill the gap and allow for medical practitioners to have everything they might need to provide proper care.
During my time at my internship, I was able to witness a shipment, which is significant because they don’t happen often. Most of the supplies packed were things that had been requested, such as orthopedic supplies and specialty medical instruments that are in high demand. But this particular shipment also included other supplies, such as two carts of school supplies and highly demanded PPE to be used in areas where they can make an impact. If a person were to look into a packed trailer, they would see bags of linens found stuffed in the gaps of pallets, crutches and canes placed on top of pallets, and extra boxes piled on top to fill every inch of the space.
Photo 2: Co-founder Segundo Velasquez assisting in the loading of the trailers to be shipped to Bolivia. Photo from Mano a Mano Facebook page.
While most of the supplies are sent to Bolivia, some stay local. One of Mano a Mano’s newer projects has been a local equipment giveaway. They spend one Saturday a month giving away medical equipment, such as walkers, wheelchairs, and bath assistance equipment to those in need. Their free Mobility Closet Program helps to provide equipment to people who might otherwise not be able to afford it.
I found this amazing internship Through the Center for Community Work and Learning. It was part of their community leaders program, which focuses on connecting students with local nonprofits to help make an impact, learn new skills, and invest time in becoming a leader in various capacities. Their program focuses on students looking to build new skills and who are willing to help out some of their community partners.
My internship has taught me a lot. Most of it ends up being the typical cliche advice, such as “expecting the unexpected,” “learn to be flexible with any given situation,” and “don’t expect every day to go smoothly,” but it has also taught me unique ways to experience my degree, how even small projects can deeply impact a community and a person’s life, and the ways anyone can have an impact in helping others on a global scale.
