"There are a lot of people who have made poor decisions and don’t have a support system. I have the capability of providing that for them. That’s really important to me,” said Lindsey Vann, L'12.

Caitlin Smith, ’12, hopes to pursue a career in biological research. She learned firsthand what such a career would be like as she spent her summer in Dr. Laura Runyen-Janecky’s biology lab doing full-time research.

After doing an internship in the U.S., Jennifer Loughnane decided to intern with WorldTeach Namibia to gain practical experience abroad and figure out what she wants to do after graduation.

Matt Bruning, ’03, is serving as a senior member of Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s policy staff.

A Robert L. Burrus Jr. fellowship gives Emily Prior, ’11, a chance to tackle issues such as human trafficking, female genital mutilation, and domestic violence.

From launching new business ventures to teaching African drumming, Civic Fellows use internships to connect their academic interests to community involvement.

Students discovered the relevance and complexity of working with real-world data when they conducted statistical analyses for the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia on issues ranging from same-sex marriage to immigration to globalization.

"Student development is about developing the whole student — intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and socially," says Kerstin Soderlund, who meets with parents and students during Orientation and beyond.

For his internship, the editor of the student newspaper honed his multimedia skills at urban radio powerhouse Radio One. He plans to use some of what he's learned at The Collegian.