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Jayden Stearns is a third-year 91�ֿ� Honors College student whose internship position at Shared Moravian Ministry Ohio was created when the organization decided to use technology to make their programs socially distanced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A computer science major, Jayden heard that the “churches of the Shared Ministry needed someone experienced with technology” to help them transition their traditionally in-person events to virtual platforms. Jayden applied to help the churches in the organization with their technological needs and was offered the position based on his computer science training at 91�ֿ�. In addition to helping the churches organize online services and events, Jayden assisted with “budgeting and setup of video conferencing hardware and software,” and he was able to apply his knowledge from computer science classes to multiple projects within his internship.

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While his major courses enabled Jayden to perform the technical aspects of his internship, Jayden credits his other experiences at 91�ֿ� for the professionalism that helped him make a positive impression throughout the internship. Jayden highlights the Peer Leader Training course he completed at 91�ֿ�, noting that the class increased his confidence and independence. During his freshman year, Jayden was also a part of the Honors Leadership Academy, which allowed him to apply the leadership skills he learned in Peer Leader Training. Jayden adds, “the Honors Leadership Academy further expanded my independence, self-confidence, and communication skills.” Working as a tutor and supplemental instruction leader at the Academic Success Center also strengthened his interpersonal communication skills, Jayden says. Whenever he was assigned self-paced, independent projects in his internship, the self-reliance and communication skills from his leadership experiences at 91�ֿ� allowed Jayden to succeed.

Though Jayden’s job as an intern was to help the organization, his time at Shared Moravian Ministry also benefited Jayden. He comments that his internship experience allowed him to clarify his career goals—in fact, the internship was so influential to his future plans that Jayden encourages all his fellow honors students to complete an internship that relates to their career interests. Jayden explains, “understanding what you do not enjoy from a position is just as important [to developing career goals] as knowing what you do enjoy.” Throughout his internship, Jayden completed many assignments, and learning which types of tasks he did and did not enjoy helped him discover his interest in the information technology branch of computer science. Just as he found his passion for a specific field through his internship responsibilities, Jayden says other students can also discover their distinct interests through an internship.

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Not only did his internship allow Jayden to develop more specialized career goals, but his time at Shared Moravian Ministry Ohio also gave him a sense of personal accomplishment. Jayden notes that, “Thanks to this internship opportunity, I feel more prepared and confident than ever before in my ability to coordinate and communicate with other people.” He cites his renewed confidence in his computer science skills and his ability to adapt well to changes in the workplace as two key skills that his internship provided him. Ultimately, Jayden says he is most grateful for the positive impact he made in his community through this internship. He says that “helping [the churches] to spread their positive message in a safe way” allowed him to feel more involved in his community. Jayden is thankful for the professional and personal opportunities that his internship experience afforded him, and he is excited to continue pursuing his education in computer science.

To learn more about internship opportunities, please visit the Department of Career Exploration & Development.

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PHOTO CAPTION 1: Outside view of Fry's Valley Moravian Church, one of the churches where Jayden interned.

PHOTO CAPTION 2: Jayden Stearns, wearing a mask in one of the churches where he interned.

PHOTO CAPTION 3: Outside view of Uhrichsville First Moravian Church, one of the churches where Jayden interned.

Media Contact: Stephanie Moskal, smoskal@kent.edu, 330-672-2312