After Her Chicago Internship Program: Emilie’s Apprentice Highlights
Emilie Lewandowski, Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator
The Urban Apprenticeship is an exciting opportunity we offer Chicago Center alumni that have just graduated college. More than a job it offers opportunities for learning and skill development in a supportive urban learning community.
The apprenticeship started in 1990 and grew out of the mutual interests of Chicago Center alums to prolong their contact with Chicago Center and the Center’s interest in strengthening its staff and program. It has exceeded expectations in both arenas and has become a great strength of Chicago Center. The Urban Apprentice usually spends one full year in residence at Chicago Center. This month Emilie Lewandowski, Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator talks about her experience with Chicago Center.
“Hi! I’m Emilie, one of the current apprentices at Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture. I graduated in May from Eastern Michigan University, with an undergraduate degree in Psychology. I am originally from Lexington, Michigan, a very small town on Lake Huron. It has been an exciting road that has led me to where I am today – Chicago!
In the summer of 2008, I attended Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture as an Urban Academic Student. During that time, I had an internship at Apna Ghar Inc., a domestic violence agency focused on serving the South Asian population in Chicago. I chose this internship because it offered me an experience I could not get in my home town. In my time at Apna Ghar, I learned how non-profit organizations operate and the obstacles that they face. I learned how to work and communicate effectively as minority. I also realized a lot about the injustices in our society, and how much I wanted to be a part of fixing that. Working at Apna Ghar provided me with invaluable experiences for my future, and it also helped me focus on finding direction in my own life.
Being a student in the Chicago Center Seminar program also taught me a lot, and shaped the person I am today. I learned how to manage living in an apartment with people who all have different personalities and interests. I learned how to navigate the city and get anywhere I wanted to go. I gained confidence from riding the CTA. I learned about all the different neighborhoods of the city, and the political history that has impacted Chicago.
During my time here, I fell in love with the city. I love Chicago because it has a small town feel with all the perks of a big city. There is so much to do and so many different kinds of people! There is something for everyone in Chicago. I especially love Hyde Park because of the diversity in the neighborhood, and the beautiful lakefront. It didn’t take long for me to feel at home in the city.
After completing the Summer program in Chicago, I had to head home to Michigan and finish my degree. I missed Chicago so much! I knew I wanted to be back in the city in the future. As I reflected about my Chicago Center experience, I realized what an amazing opportunity it had been. After graduation, I decided to apply to the Apprenticeship Program at the Center. I was so excited to find out I had gotten the job, and was going to be back in Chicago again. I also was really looking forward to being a part of the Chicago Center experience for other students like myself.
So far, working for the Center has been great. I really value the perspective of working for the Center, and how different it is from being a student. One of my favorite things is working with the students and staffing events. I love seeing how the students grow throughout the program. In the office, I work as the Marketing Coordinator, and some of my responsibilities are helping to keep the office looking great and running smoothly, updating our social networking sites and other marketing materials, and assisting with community, media, and professional outreach. One of my first projects as an apprentice was to help finish our new website, which you are looking at now! It was my first time helping to design a website, and it was a learning experience for me. It took a lot of work, and it feels great to have the site up and running!
I think that all of my experiences in Chicago have helped make me a stronger person, and I am excited to see where I will be in the future. After my apprenticeship position is over, I hope to continue living, working, and learning in Chicago.”
We’d like to thank Emilie for telling us about her experience and letting us share it with our potential students and alumni!
Quite an interesting article, Em! I enjoyed reading about your experiences in an objective way. For what its worth, I’ve noted quite a large amount of growth in you since you’ve become involved with the Chicago Center…and it’s been delightful to witness.
Meanwhile, as a web publishing instructor myself, I just want to add that the Chicago Center website is a masterful project. I used it recently in my classes to demonstrate the application of the four principles of web design: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity…the site delivers on all of these in ways that my own students could clearly see and understand!
Thank you for sharing Emilie! Just imagine, I got to staff events while you were a student and see some of your growth first hand. I’m glad you are enjoying the same experience with new students. Lastly, JOE TOLD ME ABOUT THE GAME!!!