So it’s been a while since my internship ended, but I wanted to give myself enough time to really reflect before I posted my final blog.  When I finished my internship at the beginning of August, I spent a few weeks vacationing before going home to help my sister go off to college and to pack for another semester at Valpo. Now that I’m back on campus and settled in, I’m realizing how differently I look at this town now that I’ve spent a summer getting to know all the people who make this city the amazing community it is. Before my summer with EMPOWER Porter County, my experience with Valpo was limited to the university itself. I was pretty thoroughly entrenched in the logistics of university life, and never spent much time off campus. Since my hometown is fairly large and commercial as well, the concept of being involved […]

Today marks the end of my fifth week working with the Around the Table initiative through Empower Porter County, and as I say my goodbyes and get ready to close up the office for the weekend I’m reminded again of how lucky I am to be working with such amazing people. This organization does a remarkable job of building community both in and outside of the office, and though it’s been a little over a month since I started, I’m still constantly surprised by my supervisors’ attention and interest. Empower Porter County is an anti-substance abuse campaign that focuses on preventative best practices through building community, increasing awareness and providing programming through other organizations. It’s a nonprofit organization that was founded a few years ago, and in that short time the organization has grown in both size and influence. Through the inspiration and dedication of Heather Harrigan Hitz and Kay Frattacia, Empower is expanding […]