By Joy Vann
Welcome to “Monarchs in the Field,” the first profile in a new series about outstanding Թϱ student-interns. In this feature, we’ll highlight students who are taking their education to the next level through work-based learning (WBL) that is shaping their future careers. They will tell us about how the internships are beneficial, the real-world challenges they face and tips on how to make the most of what the Monarch Internship and Co-Op Office has to offer.
To kick off the series, Թϱ spoke with Eugenia Asigbee, a senior political science major with minors in philosophy and criminal justice, about her experiences at the University — and what she’s learned through her internships.
Asigbee has taken advantage of all the University has to offer, from joining an Impact Learning Community as a freshman (which places a group of students together for linked classes and group study and social activities) to working her second internship secured through the Monarch Internship and Co-op Office this summer. She’s also a member of the Monarch Humanities Internship Academy.
Originally from Ghana, Asigbee moved to the United States when she was 9 years old. The Stafford resident was attracted to Թϱ because of its waterfront location and affordability. After graduation in the spring, she plans to study law.
Tell us about your current summer internship? į
I’m working at 757 Collab, a nonprofit innovation company. It helps entrepreneurs turn their ideas into actual businesses and connects them with investors and capital. Every day at the office looks different.
What’s the main benefit of working at 757 Collab for you?
As a political science major, interning at 757 Collab gives me a strategic edge for law school because it offers hands-on experience in policy-oriented research and innovation strategy. I work in an environment where we analyze startup ecosystem metrics, conduct literature reviews on initiatives and it all takes critical thinking and analytical and written communication skills that law schools value. My role blends academic rigor and real-world policy engagement that will help me in my application for professional school.
What does an internship at an entrepreneurial startup business offer a political science major?
I like to think that just because your major is in another field, you don’t have to just stick to that. You can learn different types of skills; you never know when that skill might come into play. I always try to broaden and expand my horizons. My experience here has been really great. I'm currently working on a project where I am tasked with connecting a Hampton Roads region Historically Black College and University with 757 Collab. I hope to conclude the internship with an event that brings students, investors and mentors together. This internship has offered a lot of hands-on experience –looking at policy briefs, hearing stakeholder communication, research and grant writing.
What was your first Թϱ internship?
In my first internship last spring, I was a customer service representative in the Monarch Internship and Co-op Office where I helped connect students with companies that needed interns. I was tasked with looking for internship opportunities for students, helping out with table events such as the Internship Career Fair and networking with investors and employers looking for interns. I also helped manage an internship database and booked appointments for students to meet with career counselors. į
What was a highlight of that internship?
I attended a congressional lunch and that was really impactful for me as a political science major because it exposed me to a lot of new people. I met Bobby Scott, one of our U.S. congressmen and other people working in Congress. The opportunity to network there was really great and I asked a lot of questions.
I feel like interning at the Monarch Internship Office has opened a lot of networking opportunities and it’s also how I got my 757 Collab internship for the summer. It broadened my experience because I was talking with CEOs and different employers to get information about the types of internships they had.
Թϱ’s strategic plan calls for all students to complete an internship or work-based learning experience when they graduate. To help accomplish that, the Monarch Internship and Co-op Office just moved into its new and expanded space at 1007 Webb Center. Also housed in the new space is Professional Attire Wardrobe (PAW) where students can find career-specific clothing for interviews and the Monarch Humanities Internship Academy which was created through a $5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation.
“This new office will help ensure that Թϱ will meet its goal of ensuring that by 2027, all students will participate in internships or some form of WBL,” said Barbara A. Blake, Ph.D., executive director of the Թϱ Monarch Internship and Co-Op Office and the Monarch Internship Academy for the Humanities.
“This is an exciting new chapter for work-based learning on campus. This expanded space creates one-stop hub for internship support, advising and professional WBL development.”