Each year, MACED provides college students and graduates with the opportunity to apply for a 10-week paid summer internship within the Enterprise Development team. For the second summer in a row, I have accepted the chance to grow my skills as a researcher by interning at MACED. Despite living in Berea for the majority of my life, working at MACED continually allows me to explore new aspects of the community and area that I otherwise would not see.
The typical role of the MACED Enterprise Development intern is to design, administer, and collect the results of the annual client survey, while also conducting a series of in-person interviews with MACED enterprise owners. The summer work culminates in a report and presentation at the end of the 10-week period to the Enterprise Development Team and any other relevant staff.
My time as an intern has made me a better researcher and a more conscientious Appalachian. MACED has been an integral aspect of my education, one that has informed my career goals and future trajectory. The opportunity to interact directly with small-business owners in Appalachia is a valuable and eye-opening one. I am consistently impressed by the individuals who commit, every day, to doing the hard work to energize their communities by providing diverse products and services, folks like Troy Price and Jaren Vessels. Particularly in Berea, it is a gift to see hardworking entrepreneurs who are dedicated to making my hometown cool not only for the frequent tourists but for locals as well.
One of the best things about this job is the opportunity to be included as a full member of the team. If you intern at MACED, you won’t be taking coffee orders and shredding old memos, you will be actively engaging in the overall efforts to better serve the greater community. All staff at MACED, myself included, are treated with respect and their ideas are thoughtfully considered. In fact, I am writing this blog because I wanted to take on more responsibility, and MACED is the kind of place where they trust and respect an intern enough to give her more room to grow.
