For a list of currently available internship positions, please visit the Cooperative Education and Internship Office's website at http://www.unt.edu/coop/

INTERNSHIPS

EADP 4800 – Emergency Management Internship Preparation
EADP 4810 – Emergency Management Internship Practicum    

A SAMPLING OF EADP INTERNSHIPS

Overview

There are three categories for internships.

1.      STUDENTS WITH NO PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE: 42 hours in major          

·         Required:  Internship Preparation (EADP 4800).

·         Required:  Internship Practicum (EADP 4810) and a 240 hour internship.

2.      STUDENTS WITH PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE (BUT NOT IN THE EADP FIELD):  42 hours in major

• Not required: Internship Preparation (EADP 4800)
1. If you are waived from EADP 4800, you must substitute 3 hours of another EADP elective for the Internship Preparation course.
2. This change must be approved.  Please see Amy Thompson, EADP Interim Internship Coordinator (WH 366A) to request a waiver.

·         Required: Internship Practicum (EADP 4810) and a 240 hour internship.

3.      3.  STUDENTS WITH THREE YEARS PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: 39 hours in major

• Not required:  Internship Preparation (EADP 4800)  
  
1. Must substitute 3 hours of another EADP elective for the Internship Preparation course. 

·         Not required:  Internship Practicum (EADP 4810) and a 240 hour internship.

a.        This change must be approved.  Please see Amy Thompson, EADP Internship Coordinator (WH 366A) to request a waiver.

Notes:

• If you choose the 39 hour degree plan, you may not complete an internship for credit.
• EADP 4810 (Internship Practicum) is a restricted enrollment course and requires a permission code for registration.  You MUST contact the Internship Coordinator prior to your registration date.   It is best to acquire your code at least two weeks prior to your registration date.  DO NOT wait until the day you are scheduled to register to try to obtain your registration code.

 Internship Preparation – EADP 4800

• Enroll in Internship Preparation at least one semester before beginning an internship. 

• Topics covered in this course include: career counseling, resume development, professionalism and interviewing skills.

During Internship Preparation, students will meet with the internship coordinator to begin arranging their internship.  The internship coordinator will assist the student in securing a practicum, but the final responsibility for finding an internship rests with the student. 

Internship Practicum – EADP 4810

• Internship Coordinator must approve internship prior to beginning internship. If it is not approved, it will not count.

• Students should have completed  EADP 4800, 3035, 3045, and approximately one-half of their degree coursework before beginning an internship.

• After a student has arranged for an internship, he/she must register for Internship Practicum (EADP 4810). 

• Three hours of credit will be awarded for this class when the student has completed 240 hours of internship and has turned in all required documentation.

• Students will meet during scheduled classes to monitor progress, discuss experiences, turn in documentation and resolve concerns.  The dates, locations and time for the class will be announced at the beginning of each semester via student email.

NOTE:

EADP 4810 is a restricted enrollment course and requires a restriction code for registration.  You must contact the Internship Coordinator prior to registration in order to enroll in this course.  It is best to acquire your code at least two weeks prior to your registration date.  Do NOT wait until the day you are scheduled to register to try to obtain your registration code.  

How to obtain an internship:

Internship opportunities are available with a variety of public agencies and departments, as well as at various levels of government.  Students may also serve as interns in the private and nonprofit sectors.  Internships complement coursework in the major field with practical, hands on knowledge.  Students gain a better understanding of emergency management principles while also obtaining experience, credentials and identity in the field.  EADP internships therefore serve a very important step in the student’s career preparation and development.

If you anticipate an internship in the future, you should begin thinking about the type of work experience you would like to complete.  For example, consider whether you hope to work in the public, private or nonprofit sector.  Then, narrow the choice further by specific organization (e.g. municipal government or FEMA) and functional area (e.g. planning or response).   The internship preparation course will also help to identify strengths and areas of possible interest.

Students may find an internship by checking the Cooperative Education Database online, the internship board outside Wooten Hall 367, networking, and reading professional newsletters.  To register for access to the Cooperative Education Database, please see Amy Thompson, WH 362. To qualify for credit, the internship must be approved by the Internship Coordinator prior to beginning the internship, be related to Emergency Administration and Planning, and supervised by a professional in the field.

If you have any questions on internship requirements or procedure,
please contact the Internship Coordinator, Amy Thompson,
in Wooten Hall 362 or 
(940) 565-2305
thompson@pacs.unt.edu  
 

A SAMPLING OF EADP INTERNSHIPS

Listed below are examples of what recent EADP students have done to complete their internship requirement as well as their thoughts about the experience.

 My internship responsibilities began with facilitating a meeting with dispatch center supervisors of the 14 participating agencies in the Northeast Fire Dept Assn (NEFDA).  The meeting was being held to get the information out about NEFDA resources and capabilities as well as bring up discussion on how the agencies could work together in a more efficient manner when it came to mutual aid.  During the meeting it became apparent that each dispatch center could use some type of resource guide for NEFDA resources and how to activate them.  I spoke with my internship supervisor about putting a resource guide together for all of the agencies.  This became my internship responsibility.  I gathered information about the different resources and which agency handled the activation of the resource. (Resources being equipment such as high angle rescue trucks, or specially trained personnel such as bomb technicians.)  I attended NEFDA’s monthly meetings and let them know what I was doing, and got answers to questions I had.  Between meetings, my information source was the Hurst Assistant Fire Chief.  If he did not know the answer, he would try to find out for me or refer me to the appropriate person.  I completed the resource guide that has details on each resource, as well as a quick reference sheet for when the dispatcher only needs to know which agency to contact.  I enjoyed my experience.  Everyone I worked with was very helpful and saw the need for what I was doing.

My experience at the City of Denton was great.  My main task was to coordinate the First Annual EMAT Response and Preparedness Symposium.  I worked in all details of coordination from creating name tags to organizing speakers.  My other duties included coordinating CERT information, Bird Flu preparedness, a sheltering project, and an airport exercise.  These tasks were all great experiences in putting my knowledge to the test.  My supervisor was an amazing boss to work for and I would do it all over again.  The relationship we had was very good and I felt that because we were a small office, he appreciated my help greatly.  The networking I did while at the City even accelerated my chances for other career opportunities.  I would recommend the City of Denton to anyone who is looking for a small office with a lot of work to do.  It is a great experience in seeing how emergency management is applied at the local level.

Craig Tanner
Lake Lavon/Branch Community

During my internship with lake Lavon/Branch Community, I was charged with creating a Community Wildlife Protection Plan.  I met with state, local, and federal representatives from various agencies.  I was able to take some interesting courses and increase my knowledge and skill sets on everything from public speaking to G.I.S.  I had the opportunity to present to large groups and create a hazard assessment using G.P.S. and photographic data.

I enjoyed the experience of working in the Safety Dept at ALT Fabrication.  The internship challenged me to grow professionally without overwhelming me.  I began the internship by performing a risk assessment that was designed to prioritize hazards within the company.  The first major hazard I targeted was the noise level in the manufacturing department.  I spent a week taking sound measurements at different times throughout the day in an effort to accurately calculate employees' time weighted averages.  After completing the monitoring, and calculating the workers exposures, I presented my findings to management and recommended measures that could be taken to bring the company into compliance.  Management has decided to implement my recommended actions.  I also spent time working on training programs to present to the workers, including overhead crane training, forklift training, and noise exposure training.

I completed my internship at the American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter, in the Emergency Planning Dept.  Through my internship I conducted shelter facility surveys, contacted local emergency management officials in preparation for the 2007 Hurricane Season, updated the Human and Material Resources Annex, and authored the Shelter Operations Annex.  In addition, I attended many emergency management meetings, the HUREX Planning Orientation, and several Red Cross training classes.  My internship allowed me the opportunity to expand and build upon my education in the EADP program.  I had a wonderful supervisor, alumna of the program herself, who facilitated my experience.  The Red Cross was a wonderful place to conduct my internship because they are a volunteer led agency and they allow their volunteers the opportunity to grow and learn in a supportive environment.

I completed my internship at DFW International Airport in their Emergency Management office.  Throughout my time at the Airport I have learned a lot of things that you can't learn in class.  I was involved with a number of things from exercise design to organizing meetings we hosted.  Overall it was a great experience and I would recommend everyone who is able to try out for a position there.  The people are friendly, they have a state of the art EOC, and you get to see things that only a handful of people get to experience.

Through my internship at the American Red Cross-Dallas, I was given ample opportunity to strengthen my ability to create emergency response plans.  Planning is the foundation for any emergency manager; this is why I am glad that I was able to do my internship in this field.  Through my internship I was given the responsibility of updating and proof-reading the Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Annex, creating and authoring the DSHR Annex and the Spontaneous Volunteers Annex.  I was also given opportunities to attend meetings at the Chapter as well as off site, take disaster courses through the Red Cross, and becoming a member on the DAT team in Denton.  By becoming a member of the DAT team and creating the DSHR Annex, I was able to learn more about the response effort of the Red Cross.  I enjoyed my internship and am glad I made the decision to become a part of the Red Cross.  I would recommend this organization to anyone wanting to get involved in the Non-Profit sector.

I first got interested in wildfire after I took Bruce Hunter's Wildland Fire Ecology class.  I then went to the TICC Wildland Fire Academy and took basic 130/190 course.  Then, because of my networking, I was able to attend a Public Information Officer course for free.  This course was great because it taught me how to deal with the media and the public in times of crisis.  I then applied this knowledge to my Community Wildfire Protection Plan Internship.  In my internship I mainly conducted meetings with city planners, fire chiefs, the US forest service regional fire coordinator, Texas forest service Urban/Wildfire Interface specialists, city and county emergency managers, and the mayor.  These meetings consisted of promoting collaboration on the CWPP and looking at individuals' concerns and possible contributions.  I also made maps from collected data.  Additionally, I got to build trust with the USFS Fire Coordinator by volunteering my skills as a wildland firefighter and to participate in prescribed burns in the Caddo National Forest.  This internship was a great opportunity to gain field work experience as well as experience emergency management outside of academia.

Missy Bueltel
American Red Cross
Dallas Chapter – Denton Branch

 My internship with the Red Cross was a natural progression from my volunteer activities.  The internship gave me an opportunity to become involved in the daily operations and responsibilities of the branch.  I supported the emergency response efforts coordinating and planning disaster courses for our volunteers on the Disaster Action Team (DAT).  I began reviewing and contacting all Denton County Area shelter facilities to renew agreements and set up shelter surveys in preparation for hurricane season.  Community outreach and emergency preparedness is an ongoing focus of our branch.  I became involved in this effort by becoming an instructor for Standard First Aid/ CPR, and teach classes regularly.  My goal was to experience and learn everything I could about the organization and identify areas that I could make a contribution.  The Denton Branch leadership was tremendous and involved me in chapter roundtables and community VOAD meetings.  The part time position became a full time paid position in March due to some staffing shortfalls which provided a great opportunity for me to get in on the ground floor.  The most important aspect of any internship is the ability to correlate a work experience to the your chosen educational path to insure that the course study truly contributes to the career you want to pursue.  My internship verified that I am on the right road. 

Joshua Hussey
Emergency Management Department
Cayman Islands

For my internship I traveled during the Summer 2005 to the Cayman Islands to work with their emergency management department. Currently the islands are in the process of creating a National Emergency Management Agency to move towards an all-hazards approach of emergency management.

My main duties included work on updating the hurricane plan and creating presentations over several topics of disaster preparedness. I was also witness to many elements in the country's ongoing recovery from Hurricane Ivan which devastated the Cayman Islands in September 2004.

Since I interned during Hurricane Season we were always monitoring events and keeping on alert for any potential activity that would affect us. Within my first week Hurricane Dennis threatened the islands and, although it failed to cause any major disruption, it proved to be an excellent “dry-run” for the season. Shortly after the miss by Dennis, Hurricane Emily began to make her progression near to the islands. I was fortunate enough to attend many meetings during the week in regard to preparations being made in the government, private, and public sectors. As it seemed a near-hit was inevitable we opened the EOC for standard operations. On the night that Emily was projected to be closest to the island, I stayed up all night at the EOC with many of the National Hurricane Committee representatives and government leaders, monitoring the storm and preparing for any response activity that would be necessary. Fortunately early in the morning she took a jog to the south and the islands were spared again. My first experience of being in the EOC--in the middle of the action--during a live event is something that I will not soon forget.

The EADP program at UNT prepared me significantly for the experience I had during my internship. I encountered many people who were familiar with UNT and being a student of the program made me feel not only properly educated, also comfortable with personnel in the field who welcomed my knowledge of the many aspects of emergency management. The people I worked with were great educators and taught me numerous lessons about how not only Cayman deals with disasters, but also how the greater Caribbean community prepares for and responds to such events. 

Tonya Hunter
City of North Richland Hills, TX
Fire Department's Office of Emergency Management/Homeland Security.

As a full-time student at the University of North Texas, I also worked full-time at CareFlite Ambulance and was familiar with the response aspect of Emergency Management. As a senior in the Emergency Administration and Planning program at the University of North Texas, I wanted to gain knowledge by applying theories learned within our program with real-life application. I completed my internship with the City of North Richland Hills Fire Department's Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security during the spring 2005. I gained valuable experience:

·        Hazard Mitigation Plan

·        Annex P of the disaster plan

·        Inventory and documentation of the Fire Department's radio equipment for the City of Fort Worth/Nextel Re-Banding project

·        Many Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) projects for CERT Grant

·        Buffer Zone Protection Plan (BZPP Terrorism Grant) worth $50,000 for NRH20 Family Water Park & NRH20 Police Department

·        Assist Emergency Management Coordinator with outdoor warning siren testing

·        Inventory and organization of Emergency Management Disaster supplies, radio & telecommunications equipment for the fire department

·        Attended Mitigation workshops and networked with fellow emergency management professionals at the Texas Emergency Management Conference in Waco, Texas

·        Other duties as assigned by Emergency Management Coordinator

 During my experience with the City of North Richland Hills Emergency Management Office, I worked with the best group of people that valued my opinion & knowledge of Emergency Management, respected me as a team player, and offered assistance when needed. I had the ability to work with little supervision and completed assigned tasks. As a paid intern, I was an asset to the community as well as a paid employee of the city. I feel that this internship has given me the ability to apply the theories learned within this degree plan to real-life applications within the realm of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. If you have any questions about the internship or the B.S. Emergency Management and Planning degree at the University of North Texas, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will be happy to assist you in anyway possible.
unt2005@sbcglobal.net

Scott Hildner
American Red Cross
Chisholm Trail Branch
Ft. Worth, TX

During the time I spent with the Red Cross fulfilling my internship hours I worked in the Disaster Services Department.  The main mission for Disaster Services is to provide aid during times of emergency or crisis.  I was very fortunate to be able to work with a lot of very knowledgeable people, most of which are UNT graduates.  My immediate supervisor was Beth Boyd.  Beth graduated from the EADP program last December but has been working for the American Red Cross for close to five years.  Beth had a great understanding of the types of projects that would be value added for me during my internship and worked hard to make sure that I was involved where I needed to be.  In addition to being in charge of the interns, Beth is also in charge of coordinating many of the activities the Disaster Services Department supports.

The thing I enjoyed most about my internship with the American Red Cross was the flexibility that the position afforded me.  I was able to get a great feel for the daily operations of the organization by performing both administrative and operational duties.  I was tasked with organizing and setting up a database for the disaster shelter site agreements the Red Cross has with the various organizations throughout their coverage area.  In addition to setting up the database and organizing the file system containing the shelter agreements, I was also tasked with performing site surveys at the various locations.  I was also able to take several classes through the Red Cross for free while performing my internship duties.  I attended a damage assessment class, defensive driving, first aid, and CPR.  I also volunteered to be on the Disaster Action Team (D.A.T.) and respond to fires and other local emergencies.  Being a member of the D.A.T. team was a great experience, and a very humbling one.  It was a real rush to respond to fires and arrive either while they were still burning or shortly after they had been put out.  However, if the D.A.T, team was called out to the scene it usually meant that the people living there had just lost their home and everything in it.  At times it was hard to think about the hardships many of our clients may face in the days following a fire or other disaster.  At the same time it was comforting to know that we had helped to ease their burden, if only for a short time.  Of course the people that you were there to help always made it worth it with their smiles.

As I came to the end of my required internship time at the American Red Cross I found myself wanting to continue to volunteer my time and energy.  In fact, I have volunteered to be part of a strike team for the up coming storm season.
 

Trey Rozelle
City of Denton Emergency Management
Denton, TX

The internship with the City of Denton’s Emergency Management Program Manager (EMPM), Michael Penaluna CEM, is an excellent program.  From the first day, I was treated as a fellow professional, though I lacked confidence in by abilities.  I quickly assimilated into a routine where I assisted the EMPM with a diligent, but not strenuous, workload.  A typical work week consisted tasks comparable to the typical day-to-day functioning of an entry level EMPM assistant; e.g. city ordinance and MOU integration into EOP, contact information, emergency alert system maintenance and integration with paging system, EOC design and product selection, and meeting attendance.  Most importantly, however, I was invited to attend every meeting possible and was introduced and encouraged to converse and network with other professionals from city meetings and NCTCOG meetings, and to establish statewide contacts.  The internship provided the opportunity to gain realistic “real world experience,” establish confidence in my knowledge-base, and provided an opportunity to append my resume with experience serving directly under a highly respected official in our region. 

Both of my internships were with the public sector. My first internship was with the City of Mesquite, Texas Fire Department. I worked closely with the Assistant Emergency Manager to update the Main Emergency Operation Plan (MEOP). My
primary task was to developed Annex J, Recovery Plan. The Annex was to be turned in to the State Division of Emergency Management for approval.

My second internship was with the City of Plano, Texas as the Fire/Emergency Management Intern. I had the opportunity to travel with several city employees to Emmitsburg, Maryland and participate in a Integrated Emergency Management
Course (IEMC). Also assisted in the Emergency Operation Center during the Plano's Weapon of Mass Destruction Full-Scale Exercise.  I helped coordinate the distribution of 55,000 REDI Resident Emergency Disaster Guides to Plano resident.

My internships allowed me to gain experience and knowledge in the field of Emergency Management. My work in both organizations has helped to prepared me for a career in the public sector. I enjoyed my experience and I am glad I had the
opportunity to work for both municipalities.
 

Erin Coady
American Red Cross Chisholm Trail Chapter
Fort Worth, TX

In April 2004 I volunteered with the American Red Cross Chisholm Trail Chapter in Fort Worth, TX. The project I volunteered for is called Operation Installation. The Red Cross and Fort Worth Fire Departments organize outreach teams each spring to go into high fire risk neighborhoods and install smoke alarms. This experience was very fulfilling. I began interning at the Red Cross that June. When I started there was a lot of flooding in the White Settlement area. I was put to work in a shelter the first day on the job. I helped feed families, run the shelter and find clients’ assistance to repair their homes. It was a great experience to work in the shelter and to see how the operation was set up to work in part with the EOC, Fire Department and other disaster assistance organizations. July was pretty quiet, so I spent a lot of time taking disaster training classes, responding to single family fires and organizing volunteers and materials. At the end of July we had a lot of flooding in southern Tarrant County. During that time I got to do damage assessments, mass feeding, and other family services. Working one on one with a client gives you a whole new perspective to disaster. In September I got to respond to Hurricane Ivan in Mississippi. The experiences I had at the Red Cross gave me a great sense of the social aspects of disaster. I got to experience all phases of the disaster cycle as well as volunteer management, recruitment and fundraising.
 

Allen Applegate
Denton County Health Department
Health Emergency Alert Response Team (HEART)

I completed my internship at the Denton County Health Department with the Health Emergency Alert Response Team (HEART).  HEART is a team that is dedicated to preparing the citizens of Denton County for the threat of bioterrorism as well as any health emergency that may be threatening public health.  My role at HEART was to bring my knowledge of emergency management into the public health arena.  One of my first tasks was to evaluate the response to an incident that occurred at our facility.  From that evaluation, I developed a draft protocol for responding to suspicious materials.  My second major project was to develop a draft Comprehensive Anthrax Response Plan.  For this I did extensive research in the current protocol for hazardous materials, decontamination, treatment and response to an Anthrax incident.  My third major project involved compiling data and information on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).  From that I developed an information guide to respond to inquiries from the media and the public about SARS.  Along with those projects I also reviewed the bioterrorism preparedness grant, and helped put together presentations on the Smallpox Vaccination Program.  I actually received the Smallpox vaccination, helped organize a meeting on West Nile Virus between all cities in Denton County, completed a regional government directory and did research on a wide variety of health emergencies, legal issues, biological and chemical agents, and other bioterrorism related issues.

My internship was a valuable experience and helped put my classroom knowledge into a practical working environment.  I was in charge of researching and writing a hazard analysis for the City of Denton, together with several other interns. Although the assignment was challenging and strenuous, it helped immensely with my personal knowledge and experience and will look excellent on my credentials and resume.  My internship position with the city also worked well with my schedule.  My supervisor was considerate of my school and work schedule and was quick to help reduce stress if I felt overwhelmed. My internship experience was important to my education and I now feel much more prepared to step into an Emergency Management position.

I was hired as a Reservist for the State Public Assistance Office with the Division of Emergency Management.  Basically, I process claim forms for city, county, state, and whoever else claims reimbursement for cost incurred while searching for shuttle debris.  (The search sight is 10 miles by 250 miles.)  It’s really interesting to be here at the Disaster Field Office watching all of the organizations work together to pull this off.   If your organization has an acronym, then you're here (FBI, EPA, TX DEM, TNRCC, NASA, FEMA, USN, etc).   I have been learning theory for the past two years at UNT about disasters and how the whole system works; it’s very cool to see it in real life.  Also, since all of the different organizations have to work together for several weeks/months to accomplish this huge task, I have witnessed polite disagreements . . .. lots of smiles with stern tones when trying to make a point. 

Very long days, but every minute is worth what I am getting to witness and learn here.  I hope I get the opportunity to go back to Austin with the DEM to see how things work there after they leave Lufkin.  This experience has been invaluable. 

Derek Shackelford
Intern Emergency Manager
City of Hurst Fire Department

In September of 2002 I applied for an internship with the City of Hurst by Ft. Worth.  I didn’t realize it at the time but the position was for an Intern City Emergency Manager for the Fire Department.  My main task for the Fire Department was to develop a Hazard Vulnerability Analyses and to finish Annex Q for Hazardous Materials.  The Fire Chief and I worked through the State Regional Liaison Officer to find out what needed to be done.   My main objective was to update all of the appendices, which included the contact info for all of the regulated and vulnerable facilities in Hurst.  I also had to map out these facilities and all of the hazardous cargo routes in the city.  This entire Annex was to be turned into the State Division of Emergency Management for a grant worth $20,000 to be awarded to the Hurst Fire Department.  

Once completing my objective, I was given permission to ride out with the first responders of the Hurst Fire Department.  This was a wonderful opportunity to see first hand how operations worked.  I realized that in order to be an effective Emergency Management Coordinator I must know what the men and women on the front line go through and what problems they encounter.  As an EMC I will be able to better understand what the first responders need in an emergency situations and how I can help them with the resources necessary to complete the job. 

  Finally, my internship with the City of Hurst proved to be a challenge, but I gained valuable information that will not only look good on my resume, it will assist me in any job, or line of work in Emergency Administration and Planning in the future.

Karen Adkins completed two internships both within the public sector.  Her first internship was with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Denton, Texas.  Karen along with two other interns was responsible for creating a Train-the-Trainer Manual for the Comprehensive Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Capabilities Assessment Program (CHER-CAP) for nationwide release.  CHER-CAP is a FEMA grant program that enables a jurisdiction to assess their response capabilities to hazardous material incidents.

Her second internship was in the Office of Emergency Management in the McKinney, Texas Fire Department.  Karen worked with numerous departments and agencies to create a Hazards Analysis for the city.  Additionally, she updated McKinney’s Emergency Management Plan to meet the current state guidelines.  Furthermore, she developed an Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Resource Manual and coordinated, with the assistance of the Fire Chief, an EOC start-up exercise.  Karen states that an internship is a critical part of your educational experience and should be chosen carefully according to your future goals.  She concurs that her internships reinforced her academics and confirmed that success in the field of Emergency Management is conducive to “building relationships.”

Kendra Martinez served her internship with Joe Barton, a U.S. Congressional Representative from District 6 in North Texas.  Kendra’s responsibilities included developing contact lists and response plans to better help the constituents receive aid and speed up recovery in case they are affected by disaster.  Kendra learned that politics plays a large role in emergency management.  Since Kenrdra is interested in pursuing a career in the political side of the field, she feels that internship has given her the right background and connections to make a difference in the legislation pertaining to disaster mitigation, preparedness and response.

Kristy Ashberry completed an internship in the private sector with SouthWest Airlines in Dallas, Texas.  Kristy’s assignments included reviewing air-transportation media clips, assessing common airline emergency procedures, updating and distributing SouthWest’s crisis operations plans, and creating files with runway schematics and other airport management information.  Kristy took part in various department meetings and training which added to her understanding of the field.  Kristy feels she is now much more prepared for a career in aviation-related emergency management.