Now It's Your Turn: A Note from Joan

Joan DiPiero, Community Engagement Coordinator at College of DuPage, works closely with the people and organizations that strengthen the local community. Through these partnerships, she sees how collaboration creates opportunities—not only for students, but for the broader DuPage County community.

This month, she highlights the exponential returns of internships and the meaningful impact they bring to both students and the organizations that welcome them.

The Exponential Returns on Internships

An internship is a valuable component of a college education, whether it involves spending a semester with a large corporation or six weeks at a hometown bakery.

Public service and charitable organizations can also benefit from creative students who provide quality assistance and bring personal interest to the community they serve.  According to Teri Wood, executive director of The GardenWorks Project, a nonprofit addressing food insecurity, internships play a vital role at nonprofit organizations.

“Interns bring fresh perspectives, current academic knowledge and a strong desire to apply what they are learning in meaningful, real-world settings,” she said. “At The GardenWorks Project, we are able to provide hands-on experience that connects horticulture education to community impact, food access and nonprofit operations by creating and nurturing connections between food growers, local food pantries and individuals in need.”

With growing interest in public service careers, Rebecca Harrington, program manager for Career Services at College of DuPage, said her office continues to expand its relationships with nonprofit organizations. Students in any curriculum have an opportunity to intern, especially considering the diversity of industries, health care providers, government agencies and community organizations located in and around DuPage County.

“COD students have the same opportunities as students at four-year colleges or universities, but they have the advantage of experiencing internships during their freshman year,” she said.

According to the American Society of Employers, internships can result in a pipeline for future talent, reduce recruitment costs and introduce fresh ideas. Internships provide students with on-the-job skills and networking opportunities that allow them to apply course principles to real-time experience, while completing an internship can also help students realize career potential or discover a career path that they did not expect.

In turn, COD student interns are valuable resources for partner businesses and nonprofit agencies.

Horticulture student Erica Ramsay is working toward a certificate in urban farming, and part of that curriculum includes an internship with The GardenWorks Project. 

“As a student intern, I had the opportunity to manage a community garden from seeds to end-of-the-season clean-up, to harvest, package and transport fresh vegetables to the Family in Faith Food Pantry, and to make valuable connections in the community,” explained Ramsay, who was excited to use her newly-acquired urban farming skills at one of The GardenWorks Project community locations in Glendale Heights. “This experience allowed me to be a part of a farm-to-pantry initiative firsthand and to reflect on the successes, as well as the challenges, of the 2025 growing season.”

Ramsay’s internship illustrates the give-and-take learning experience offered to COD students. As Wood explained, Ramsay was able to deepen her understanding of sustainable agriculture while seeing firsthand how gardening can address food insecurity and strengthen community partnerships. 

“At the same time, our organization benefited from Erica’s energy, technical knowledge and willingness to contribute thoughtfully to our Garden to Pantry initiative,” Wood said. “This collaborative learning environment strengthened our program while helping Erica build practical skills, confidence and a clearer understanding of mission-driven work.”

Harrington said many organizations need special assistance for individual projects, so COD now offers micro-internships to allow students to work on one project or activity for a partner organization. And while internships often come with monetary compensation, she suggested that the real investment is in the student’s future.

“Students who are able to add an internship to their resume will have an edge when it comes to career experience, resulting in more success in their job search,” she said.

To learn how you or your organization can partner with and support student internship opportunities, or if you are interested in hiring or providing internships for COD students, visit COD Career Services.