UPIKE sends five seniors to intern in Frankfort
0Written by Josh Little
Five students from the University of Pikeville will be spending the 2015 spring semester in Frankfort, Ky., as they are participating in the AIKCU internship program.
Seniors Jaimie Ward, Jorge Escobar, Felecia Proctor, Diego Rivas, and Rodrigo Galdamez applied for the internship position early in the 2014 fall semester. This is the largest number of students that UPIKE has sent to Frankfort.
The Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities also known as, AIKCU, serves 19 colleges in Kentucky. AIKCU represents its member institutions in public policy issues related to higher education at the state and federal levels, raises funds for student scholarships, coordinates member services, and facilitates information sharing and collaboration among members.
“My area is post secondary education focusing on adult education in Kentucky. This is a great experience for me and the people are very friendly,” said Escobar, a communication major.
The participants live in or around the Frankfort area and are responsible for their own housing, meals, and transportation throughout the course of the internship. The interns had an orientation on Jan. 15 to meet with the other interns across the state.
The interns will attend two seminars throughout the week as well as work with governmental departments. Some departments that they will be working with are: Kentucky Retail Federation, Department of Insurance, and Kentucky Financial Institutions.
“This internship will be a great experience. It will give me the opportunity to experience work within the real world and allow me to make connections that never would have been possible. Not many people get this opportunity, and I hope this will lead me into the right career path for myself,” said Ward, a communication major.
The internship program will run until April 15, and the students receive 15 credit hours while in Frankfort.