After a summer of serving local government and nonprofit organizations throughout the Huntsville community, interns in the Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics (LEAP) at Sam Houston State University concluded the City Fellows Internship Program by presenting their experiences to supervisors, mentors, and fellow interns.
The presentations highlighted not only the projects each student completed, but also the personal and professional growth that occurred throughout the semester. Participating interns included Elizabeth Werts (Fort Bend District Clerk’s office)…
…Brittlyn Jackson (Huntsville Main Street)…
…Estrella Morales-Garcia (Wynne Home Arts and Visitor Center)…
…Tania Ramirez (Huntsville Parks and Leisure)…
…Allie Plunk (who completed internships with both The Altom Group and Old Town Theatre)…
…and Christine James (SAAFE House).
The event was well attended by many of the students’ supervisors and community partners, demonstrating the strong relationships that make the City Fellows program successful. Among those in attendance were Kristy Wheeler and Penny Joiner from Huntsville Parks and Leisure; Amanda Sewell and Olivia McCaughan from Main Street Huntsville; Angela Robinson from the Wynne Home Arts and Visitor Center; Tracy Stoudt and Colleen Garza from SAAFE House; and Marshall Altom of The Altom Group. Also attending were Brian Beasley, Assistant City Manager for the City of Huntsville, and Sandra Rodriguez, Human Resources Coordinator for the City.
Each presentation focused on a significant project completed during the internship. Indeed, this is one key aspect of the City Fellows program: the internships are project based. For Tania Ramirez in Parks, for example, that included coming up with activities for the City’s July 4th celebration and its accompanying parade (where the Parks department one the Spirit Award). The students also discussed the challenges encountered and the lessons learned along the way. Several students admitted they were initially nervous about speaking before an audience, with nearly half acknowledging that public presentations pushed them well outside their comfort zones. By the end of the program, however, each intern confidently shared the accomplishments of the summer and reflected on the skills they had developed.
Many of the students discussed overcoming personal limitations, whether it was learning unfamiliar office software, adapting to a professional workplace, or building confidence in communicating with coworkers and the public. Their stories illustrated that internships provide far more than workplace experience—they foster resilience, adaptability, and self-confidence.
One theme echoed by every presenter was a newfound appreciation for local government and community organizations. Whether engaging in the day-to-day work of the organization or through one of the City Fellows’ tours, the interns gained a better understanding of how many moving parts exist in local government and how each component has to have dedicated staff behind their mission.
It was, of course, icing on the cake to have many of those dedicated staff in the room while the presentations were being conducted, and the LEAP Center remains grateful to the City of Huntsville, SAAFE House, The Altom Group, the Old Town Theatre, and the Fort Bend County Clerk’s Office for providing students with rich opportunities.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 