From her apartment in Fort Worth, Monique Quihuis, a junior criminal justice and political science double major from Livermore, California, works with colleagues from across the country — and several time zones. Since May, Quihuis has been serving as a research intern with the Digital Media Engagement Team at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
“My internship experience has been a success because it has given me valuable skills during a time when it is extremely difficult to find work,” she said, noting that she was supposed to return to her previous jobs over the summer, but they were cancelled because of COVID-19. “This opportunity has also given me insight into careers within federal employment and provided me with valuable connections.”
As a research intern, her primary responsibilities are related to fact-checking “Veteran of the Day” write-ups before they are posted to social media, where the audience averages more than 4 million people a month. She also helped with the Congressional Veterans Outreach Report that will be given to Congress. Now she’s doing research for a podcast series she will also co-host that is expected to be released in April.
“I have enjoyed being able to honor those who have served. Learning about their stories and sacrifices they have made has been extremely impactful,” she said. “I also have been able to connect with those working in the Department of Veteran Affairs, especially while working on the Congressional Outreach Report.”
Among the challenges was getting acclimated to all-virtual communication with team members in various time zones. “Now I am used to it and know this will be an extremely valuable skill as COVID-19 continues to impact internship opportunities.”
The bigger adjustment was transitioning from summer to fall and juggling the added responsibilities of classes and a second job. “This internship is dependent on time management and being able to work independently, so it required me creating a schedule for myself to complete my weekly tasks,” she said.
Along the way, Quihuis has learned a lot about the military, its place in history and veterans who have served, while gaining hands-on experience with platforms such as Slack, Trello and Flickr.
“This internship has increased my desire to pursue a career with the federal government and my awareness of the different opportunities within the government,” she said. “It has also increased my appreciation of the sacrifices that individuals have made for our country.”
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, students with internship experience are more likely to land job offers by graduation.
“Virtual internships provide opportunities to learn how to work remotely — now a key career skill for many industries,” said Mike Caldwell, executive director of the TCU Center for Career & Professional Development.
Caldwell and his team encourage students to begin researching and applying for spring and summer 2021 internships. New applications for TCU Career Readiness/Intern Scholarships will be available online through the winter break. Visit careers.tcu.edu for complete details.