The Metamorphosis: Positive Effects of a Service Learning Internship

Abstract

As my junior year of college approached, I was already worrying about next summer’s internship opportunities. In today’s competitive job market, internships are the best resource for obtaining a job right after college. While my preliminary goal was finding an internship that would pay the most or position me in an exotic area, I realized I was searching with the wrong intentions. The goal in life is not to have the most money or live in the biggest house; instead, the goal is to simply be happy. So I shut my laptop and grabbed the nearest pencil and paper to begin writing down what on this earth makes me joyful. As I began to write, it became apparent that I did not need some six-figure job, a big house, or a fancy car. All I needed for happiness was a job that would allow me to assist in improving people’s lives. I believe Mahatma Gandhi expressed the importance of community service best when he said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”