Correct me if I’m wrong, but I get the feeling that not many work environments take ice cream breaks together. Nor do they always wait for everyone in the office to be there before they share their stories from the weekend. If you haven’t done either in your workplace, give it a try. Seriously. You’re never too old or too busy for a nice walk in the summer sun to get some ice cream. There is also no reason to exclude someone from the excitement of hearing and telling a story for the first time. These are the priorities in life. These are the things you should make time for. At the beginning of the summer my friend asked me “What do you hope to learn this summer?” I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t think that far ahead nor imagine what I would learn from my placement. Now […]

At the beginning of this summer I remember being so nervous that I wasn’t fully prepared to take on an internship yet. And as much as I tried to be prepared, that start date approached much more quickly than I could have anticipated. I quickly learned that even when you aren’t ready, life keeps moving. And that’s what I did this summer, I learned. Working at Exodus has taught me more than I could have ever imagined. It started with the simpler things. I learned how to enter data, refine my kitschy marketing language, and I even discovered some organizational skills I thought were nowhere in my genetics. About a month in another intern and I were asked to start mentoring a new refugee family twice a week. At first I was thinking “I just learned how to use a copier, do you guys really think I’m ready?” But as […]

With my internship ending last week and me moving back to Valpo next Tuesday I’ve spent some time thinking about what I want to do after graduation. I was blessed to be exposed to the world of entrepreneurship. I think being able to reflect on the past is one of the best ways to grow and move forward. This summer was full of new experiences, places, and people. The CAPS fellows here in Chicago were great people to share the summer with. So many of us had the same questions about life and purpose. I also had the opportunity to go with Cindy to an MBA tour to look at grad schools. It seems weird to be looking at grad schools already when I still have two years at Valpo, but looking at options and new possibilities is always exciting. However, looking to the more immediate future, I had the […]