SPARTANBURG, S.C. (courtesy converse.edu) — Chloe Young ’22, Child and Family Studies major and Arts Management minor, began interning at Paint Love, a nonprofit in Atlanta, Georgia, in November 2020. The Paint Love organization works to provide extraordinary arts programming to youths facing poverty and trauma.
The unique combination of the Child and Family Studies major and Arts Management minor gave Chloe a leg up on internship opportunities. “I discovered my love for working with nonprofits while taking ATM 265 (Arts Management and Organizational Structure) during my junior year,” Chloe said. “Professor Mary Carlisle has been a meaningful part of my journey. [She] guided me and helped me tremendously with learning about the nonprofit sector and opened my eyes to creative careers.”
Chloe’s internship exposed her to all aspects of a nonprofit organization, from grant writing and fundraising to developing programming. She assisted with their week-long camps and even created and executed some of her own projects. Chloe’s major in Child and Family studies, combined with the Arts Management minor, set her up with the foundation for working with children and teenagers in a nonprofit environment.
Experiential learning opportunities, such as internships, offer Converse students transformative, out-of-the-box experiences to integrate knowledge and theory learned in the classroom in a professional setting.
“Chloe has such a passion for her work that you cannot help but be excited about the change that she is making in the youth’s lives,” said Cathy Gowan, Converse University director of Internships and Career Services.
“Laura Shaw, Paint Love’s executive director, and Mandy Noa, Paint Love’s program director, ensured that I had an inclusive opportunity to explore event and program planning, donor relations, strategic planning, direct service, and so much more,” said Chloe.
The firsthand experience from the internship not only gave Chloe insight about working for a nonprofit but also allowed her more insight into herself. This self-reflection is a critical aspect of every internship, allowing students to see if a particular career path is indeed the right place for them.
In Chloe’s case, the role at Paint Love was a perfect fit. In January 2022, Chloe will begin a full-time position at Paint Love as she begins her creative and unique career.