MANSFIELD, PA— “It was amazing.”
That is how Mansfield University senior Chelsey Gavin describes her experience in the The Harrisburg Internship Semester (THIS) program.
The psychology major, with a dual concentration in human resources and lifespan development, was one of 14 college students participating in the 15-week internship sponsored by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) during the fall semester.
Gavin, a native of Canisteo, NY worked for the Governor’s Office of Administration, specifically in the Bureau of Workforce Development and Equal Employment Opportunities.
“I updated the management directive personal policies for the entire Commonwealth, which was a big project,” Gavin said. “I did trainings for everyone in my Bureau, one on the history of human resources and one on current trends in human resources. I also planned an employee learning week for the entire Commonwealth.”
Summarizing her experience, she says, “It was much more than I expected. Instead of just attending and observing, I was able to participate.”
Gavin points to her Mansfield education and experience, calling her professors “amazing,” in preparing her to take on the responsibilities she did in the internship. \
She and her sister Katelyn were the first two MU students ever selected to attend the NEW Leadership™ Pennsylvania program, held at the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics at Chatham University in Pittsburgh every summer.
On campus, in addition to her studies, Gavin has served as treasurer of Psi Chi, the Psychology Research Group and the Psychology Club. She has also been vice-president of the Humans Resources Club, an active member of SAFE and an advocate for the Women’s Center. Her accomplishments as a part of these groups include hosting a panel of local professionals in the field of human resources for students, fundraising, and participating in Relay for Life and other community service events with the Council for Exceptional Children.
“My supervisor was astonished about how well I was prepared,” Gavin said. “For example, I could do measurable objectives, which is something a lot of people struggle with but here at Mansfield it was part of my human resource classes and my psychology classes and it just comes naturally to me. Everything I’ve learned in my human resources classes I saw applied during my internship. I’ve also been a work-student student in the President’s Office and a lot of the work I did there, working with spread sheets and organizing things, are the same kind of things I did in my internship.”
In addition to gaining valuable professional experience, Gavin and the other THIS participants attended several academic seminars, presentations and networking dinners from a wide variety of government and higher education officials. She hopes the opportunities she had to meet decision makers will pay off as she begins applying for positions with the government and in the private sector as she prepares to graduate in May.
More than 600 students from PASSHE universities have participated in THIS since the program began in 1989, each gaining valuable insight into the workings of state government at the policy-making level. State System students interested in participating in THIS in a future semester may obtain information on the program by contacting their individual campus coordinator or their university’s cooperative or internship office, or by calling the Dixon University Center at (717) 720-4089. For more information on the program, go to passhe.edu/this