“It all started when Hastings College President Don Jackson sat down with my roommates and me one day in the cafeteria,” said Robbie Parker, a Marketing major from Idalia, Colo. “We all were talking about our majors, summer plans and future careers plans. President Jackson mentioned that I should come in sometime to discuss with him about a possible internship with Easter Seals.”
She and President Jackson later chatted about opportunities with Easter Seals, the non-profit organization where President Jackson worked as Chief Operating Officer for more than 20 years. He put Robbie in contact with staff in the Omaha, Neb., office where she was hired, spending the summer working with Planit Omaha, an event planning company, to execute the Easter Seals Nebraska’s Family Fun Fest Kickball Tournament and Carnival.
“My responsibilities included finding event sponsors, booking all the required equipment for the event, promoting the event and coordinating all logistics for implementing the event,” she said. “I learned to go with the flow a little bit more than I am used to. Many things changed on a day-to-day basis, and while I do prefer a little bit of a routine, mixing it up wasn’t that bad!”
Robbie cites her Fundraising and Philanthropy course, her marketing classes and service as a campus tour guide as equipping her for the internship.
“The classes I take at Hastings College are very hands-on, and through those experiences, I am able to work through any project as well as with other people in a team,” she said.
When not focused on fundraising and event planning, Robbie completed other vital tasks in the office such as designing flyers for various programs Easter Seals Nebraska implements and proofreading the organization’s annual report.
“I have learned that not all jobs are as glamorous, and you have to be willing to do anything even if it is out of your comfort zone,” Robbie said.
