Knox County Tennesee

Nicole Anderson is working on a major in political science with a history minor at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She was extremely interested in working within a government system and emailed Penson about openings in Knox County. As the Summer Internship Program hires on a basis of personal skill and ability, Nicole being legally blind was not something that set her back in the interview process. Ms. Penson said of Nicole, "I knew Nicole had a lot of challenges, and she did too, but she was willing to do what needed to be done to learn how to do the job. She told me that she was capable of doing the same job as someone sitting next to her. She met all of our qualifications and exceeded them."

Nicole now works in the Community Development Department. She works with the different programs within the department, helping out where needed and doing general office work, but will soon be specializing in the Rehabilitation program. The Rehabilitation program is one that allows low- to moderate-income families to make needed repairs to their homes, or if the home is beyond repair, allows for it to be rebuilt, only requiring the family to repay a portion of the overall cost over a period of time, after which the rest of the debt is forgiven. Nicole is pleased with her position in the Community Development Department because it is a department in which she could "have an impact on the community and help people change their lives for the better."

Within this department, Nicole has been better able to understand what it takes to make a community work. She says, "It takes a lot of effort from all sides to bring the many diverse neighborhoods together into a work force for the betterment of its citizens." The Summer Internship Program has been beneficial to Nicole for both her long-term and short-term goals. For now, it will prepare her for the real world and help her when looking for a job in government and living on her own. As for her long-term plans, Nicole says she eventually wants to run for elected office, but also be an advocate for people with disabilities.

John Bennett works with the Community Services Department where he works as an intern in the senior centers throughout the county. He is a recent graduated of Karns High School in Knoxville, Tennessee and will be attending the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the fall of 2006 where he plans to major in Business.

Within the County Services Department, John works under Requitta Bone. Of John, Ms. Bone says, "[He] has been an asset to our department. The center directors love him! He has such a great personality and he is very kind. always willing to help. he has done everything from facilitating Bingo games to answer phones." At each senior center, John's duties also include greeting the seniors, teaching card games (and learning a few too he says). He signs seniors up for special classes, gives tours and performs general office work.

Having previously worked with disabled children, John felt that his prior experiences would benefit him in his work with the senior citizens and local senior centers. "The experience with the Summer Internship Program has taught me patience, enhanced my social skills, taught me time management, and helped me learn how to act in a professional, more business like manner," John said. While he does not plan to work with seniors as a long-term career, he does enjoy the experience and feels that he is learning valuable lessons while participating in the internship program.

Lee Curry is an intern in the Knox County Purchasing Division; he is working directly with the Supplier Diversity Program. Within the Purchasing Division, Lee updates the MBE/WBE Small Business directory online, visits sites of prospective and existing vendors, processes mail, and writes articles to submit to the media. Lee has also learned how to proofread bids, which give detail of items the department is getting ready to buy, and requests for proposal, which ask vendors what is necessary to get a specific job done. Lee also helps to write the broadcast information for the Supplier Diversity downloadable audio file, which was just recently made available on the Purchasing Division website at www.knoxcounty.org. The audio file is used for announcing details about upcoming networking events in the Knoxville area, advise minority businesses on how to register online to become vendors for Knox County, contact the program coordinator, Robert L. Minter, Jr., and provide other necessary information for businesses that wish to take part in the Supplier Diversity Program. Robert Minter, Lee's supervisor, said, "Lee has been a great help and is learning about the day-to-day operation of the purchasing division and the Supplier Diversity Program." The Supplier Diversity Program was designed to increase the opportunity for diversity in companies doing business with Knox County.

A 2002 graduate of Austin-East High School, Lee is currently attending Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and working on a major in Business Administration. He will graduate in December. Of the Knox County Summer Internship Program Lee said, "It has been a great experience," working in the Purchasing Division, "has taught me how the business process works and, should I decide to seek a career in business, it will give me a head start."

Grace Lin is a student at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she is working on a major in political science and a minor in creative writing. This year marks her second year in the Summer Internship Program. During her studies at George Washington University, Grace took a course on state and local politics. Grace said, "That class opened my eyes to the activity of local governments and I have held a keen interest in the Knox County government ever since."

After interning in Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale's office during her first year with the Summer Internship Program, Grace became aware of the many departments and agencies that operate under Knox County government and wanted to explore new internship opportunities during her next summer with the program. Because the internship program is designed to further enhance student's abilities in personal fields of interest and educational study, Ms. Penson arranged a move, placing Grace as an intern in the Public Library. Ms. Penson felt that an internship within the Public Library system would be a good fit for Grace because of her "ability to seek out information and educate herself about other cultures."

Grace said, "I wanted to take part in work that would allow me to feel like an active and aware citizen in my community." In her current position, Grace has the opportunity to see how library services allow Knox County to actively engage itself in the interests of its citizens; "I have been able to familiarize myself with local activity with regards to the non-profit organizations, prominent businesses, and notable individuals that make up Knox County," she said. Within the library, her duties include helping out at library events, providing extra assistance in the branch libraries under the Knox County Library system, observing the work of people in the Communications Department, and working on a research project that will profile the expectations and interests that Knox County citizens hold of the public library. "The intern program has allowed me to feel closer and more connected to Knoxville [which] is necessary for any future career goal," Grace said.

David Schultz, Jr., is working with the Knox County Health Department. David said, "The Summer Internship Program has been a very enlightening experience." Having been placed in the Environmental Section of the Knox County Health Department, he has been able to accompany several health inspectors making monthly rounds. "I have seen firsthand the work that goes into keeping Knoxville's restaurants, pools, hotels, and various other establishments and festivals safe for Knox County residents and visitors," David said. David has had the opportunity to do health inspections on his own and will soon be doing some work in the Air Quality Department and sitting in on meetings about emergency preparedness plans.

The health department assesses public health problems and helps establish policies to address them. After the policy is established, the health department assures the public that the policy is being adhered to, and that public health is being maintained. David feels that working in the Knox County Health Department will provide him the chance to observe how a health department is run, and to witness the hard work and effort that each individual must expend to protect the health of the citizens of Knox County.

David has a BA from the College of Sciences in Psychology at the University of New Orleans. The devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina propelled David to take action; the uncertainty in Louisiana was great, and he felt a move was necessary. David moved to Knoxville in January and is currently enrolled in the Master of Public Health Program with a concentration in health planning and administration at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and is on schedule to graduate in December 2006.

David's decision to leave Louisiana was a difficult one, as his wife (an elementary school teacher) stayed behind to finish her school year in order to provide a sense of normalcy to the lives of her students in the wake of the turmoil they experienced. Feeling truly welcomed in Knox County, it is David's hope to represent "the state of Louisiana well and have the opportunity to apply his MPH Degree by representing the citizens of Knox County in the public health sector."