Evergreen Connects Students to Community with Internship Fair

(Olympia, Wash.) The Evergreen State College will deepen and expand its engagement with local schools, non-profit organizations and government agencies via the Community Opportunities and Internships Fair on January 29th. This event, now in its 22nd year, links students and community members with internship and employment opportunities with more than 70 local organizations.

“This fair is all about connecting students with the community. Internships and volunteering are so integrated with the college’s learning model, and this event provides students with those connections,” said Katherine McGee, program coordinator of academic advising. “The community gives to students in so many ways; volunteering is a great way for students to give back to the community. Many of the organizations that come to the fair are small operations that would struggle without student interns.”

The Community Opportunities and Internships Fair is a part of the longstanding role volunteering and internships play in the Evergreen curriculum, with many classes and programs requiring community service. Many organizations, such as Thurston Community Television, return every year to scout new student talent, which TCTV needs in order to produce programs for the community. Evergreen students contribute more than 12,000 hours a year to Thurston County organizations, according to an Evergreen economic impact assessment conducted in 2013.

Some of the organizations that will be at the fair include SafePlace, Hands On Children’s Museum, Peace Corps, Garfield Elementary, Olympic National Park, and GRuB.

The fair is hosted by the academic advising office in partnership with the Center for Community Based Learning and Action and the student employment office. The event takes place on January 29th from 12 noon to 3 p.m. in the lobby of the library building at The Evergreen State College, located at 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW in Olympia.