Stepping Out and Stepping Up: Work Identity and Meaning in the Internship Experience University of South Carolina Upstate Humanities Internship Program (HIP)
SCURS Disciplines
History
Document Type
General Presentation (Oral)
Invited Presentation Choice
Humanities Internship — Oral
Abstract
Humanities education provides enduring insight into past and present human experiences, promotes creative expression and appreciation, and underscores civic responsibility, social mobility, and social justice. The humanities also cultivate foundational competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), including critical thinking, communication, teamwork, self-development, equity and inclusion, leadership, and technology. Although employers value these skills, students do not always recognize the connections between humanities coursework and professional pathways.
Experiential learning—particularly internships—can help students articulate the value of a humanities education while applying disciplinary knowledge and transferable skills in community settings. In December 2024, the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences received grant funding to implement the Humanities Internship Program (HIP). Student internship placements were launched in Fall 2025, with 40 students placed—many from underserved backgrounds—in nonprofit organizations across the Upstate. These placements enabled students to develop professional competencies in nonprofit and community-based organizations dedicated to improving quality of life in the region. Students were also required to complete a 3-credit-hour internship course.
To examine how humanities interns applied disciplinary knowledge in professional contexts, students completed written assignments and/or presentations reflecting on HIP learning outcomes, professional mentoring relationships, and challenges they may have encountered during their internships. These reflective artifacts demonstrate how students translate humanities-based competencies into workplace practice and develop a clearer sense of professional identity and purpose.
HIP student interns representing Communication, English, History, Political Science, Interdisciplinary Studies, Music, Sociology, and Theatre will present synthesized reflections on their internship experiences. Community partner internship hosts will be invited to attend and participate in a facilitated discussion following the student presentations.
This panel will contribute to pedagogical strategies that strengthen student's ability to articulate the professional relevance of humanities learning, inform internship course design and mentoring practices, and offer a model for equitable, community-engaged internship programs that support career readiness in the humanities.
Student Presenters:
- Naomi Aviles (Sociology)
- Jordan Patterson (Sociology)
- Aaron Ashley (Communication)
- Mary Kathryn R. Chandler (Communication)
- Rochelle Brooks (Interdisciplinary Studies)
- Alex Sanchez (History/Political Science)
- Matthew Earnhardt (History/Political Science)
- Adrienne Fuehrer (English)
- Bee Bakewell (Theatre)
- Aron Newsome (Music)
Other Participants:
- Tanya Boone — Dean, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (Introduction)
- Dr. Wren Bareiss — Professor of Communication, Fine Arts and Communication Studies (Session 1 Moderator)
- Dr. Carolyn “Carolina” Webber — Professor of Communication, Fine Arts and Communication Studies (Session 2 Moderator)
- Audience -- Internship Coordinators (6); Internship Partners (20); Special Guests (2)
Keywords
Internship, humanities, NACE
Start Date
10-4-2026 2:00 PM
Location
TLC 298 B&C
End Date
10-4-2026 4:30 PM
Stepping Out and Stepping Up: Work Identity and Meaning in the Internship Experience University of South Carolina Upstate Humanities Internship Program (HIP)
TLC 298 B&C
Humanities education provides enduring insight into past and present human experiences, promotes creative expression and appreciation, and underscores civic responsibility, social mobility, and social justice. The humanities also cultivate foundational competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), including critical thinking, communication, teamwork, self-development, equity and inclusion, leadership, and technology. Although employers value these skills, students do not always recognize the connections between humanities coursework and professional pathways.
Experiential learning—particularly internships—can help students articulate the value of a humanities education while applying disciplinary knowledge and transferable skills in community settings. In December 2024, the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences received grant funding to implement the Humanities Internship Program (HIP). Student internship placements were launched in Fall 2025, with 40 students placed—many from underserved backgrounds—in nonprofit organizations across the Upstate. These placements enabled students to develop professional competencies in nonprofit and community-based organizations dedicated to improving quality of life in the region. Students were also required to complete a 3-credit-hour internship course.
To examine how humanities interns applied disciplinary knowledge in professional contexts, students completed written assignments and/or presentations reflecting on HIP learning outcomes, professional mentoring relationships, and challenges they may have encountered during their internships. These reflective artifacts demonstrate how students translate humanities-based competencies into workplace practice and develop a clearer sense of professional identity and purpose.
HIP student interns representing Communication, English, History, Political Science, Interdisciplinary Studies, Music, Sociology, and Theatre will present synthesized reflections on their internship experiences. Community partner internship hosts will be invited to attend and participate in a facilitated discussion following the student presentations.
This panel will contribute to pedagogical strategies that strengthen student's ability to articulate the professional relevance of humanities learning, inform internship course design and mentoring practices, and offer a model for equitable, community-engaged internship programs that support career readiness in the humanities.
Student Presenters:
- Naomi Aviles (Sociology)
- Jordan Patterson (Sociology)
- Aaron Ashley (Communication)
- Mary Kathryn R. Chandler (Communication)
- Rochelle Brooks (Interdisciplinary Studies)
- Alex Sanchez (History/Political Science)
- Matthew Earnhardt (History/Political Science)
- Adrienne Fuehrer (English)
- Bee Bakewell (Theatre)
- Aron Newsome (Music)
Other Participants:
- Tanya Boone — Dean, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (Introduction)
- Dr. Wren Bareiss — Professor of Communication, Fine Arts and Communication Studies (Session 1 Moderator)
- Dr. Carolyn “Carolina” Webber — Professor of Communication, Fine Arts and Communication Studies (Session 2 Moderator)
- Audience -- Internship Coordinators (6); Internship Partners (20); Special Guests (2)