The following story originally appeared on the Charles Center website. – Ed.

Though William & Mary undergraduates often pursue summer internships with specific goals and expectations in mind, perhaps the greatest benefits of gaining hands-on experience in a potential career field are the zigs, zags and unexpected life lessons that inevitably arise.

Erin Campbell ’25, a computer science major and data science minor, served as a City Research Scholar with the Lackey Clinic last summer. Just days after her 10-week internship began with the nonprofit health clinic in Yorktown, Virginia, her project took a surprising and challenging twist.

“I was tasked with researching an AI tool that allows for database search facilitation, and after reading about its capabilities and use cases, I thought there was no way that this tool wouldn’t be extremely helpful,” Campbell recalled. “But after testing, the tool didn’t fit their need for it to be used by people with no data science experience, as its mistakes could only be caught by people knowledgeable of databases.”

For a moment, it seemed Campbell would be left without a research project for the summer.  “The most interesting and surprising aspect of my research was realizing that the tool I was researching was not going to be a good fit,” Campbell said. 

What had appeared to be an insurmountable obstacle, however, soon shapeshifted into an opportunity. “I got to experience the pivoting of a research project, and the effort to find an alternative solution, which was a valuable experience,” she said.

Campbell spent much of her summer learning the database search language SQL, several data visualization tools, and ways to create engaging dashboards, graphs, and charts from data – all of which revealed unforeseen potential pathways.

“These new skills under my belt have opened possibilities for my future career,” Campbell said.

Over the course of her data-intensive internship, Campbell came to yet another life realization that will likely inform her professional journey beyond W&M: What interests her the most are the connections among data and, as with the Lackey Clinic, the mission and people served by it.

“I learned so much about how clinics like this work, and their passion for helping the underserved was inspiring,” Campbell said. “The fact that I played even a small part in helping people in my current community has been very rewarding.”

A key takeaway for the computer science major and data science minor? “I learned that I want to work with people and for people,” Campbell said.  “I don’t want to be a behind-the-scenes cog-in-the-machine just building code behind a computer screen.”

For Michelle Indelicato ’25, a sociology and religious studies double major, her City Research Scholar internship with The Arc of Greater Williamsburg revealed community needs on a scale she hadn’t imagined.

“The most striking aspect of my research this summer was how extensive the need for greater support services is for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Virginia,” Indelicato said. “I was previously unaware of how many people in the state are waiting for support from the government in order to access critical resources and opportunities.”

Indelicato’s work this summer connected directly to The Arc’s larger mission of supporting the respect, dignity and inclusion of all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  During her 10-week internship, she collaborated with staff across the organization to learn more about their respective roles and how their work supports the nonprofit’ success.

By wearing many hats last summer, Indelicato said that her enhanced understanding of the complexity and critical need for community-based work has solidified her goal to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector.

“I was challenged to engage in research while also exploring projects related to communication and development, program coordination, and fundraising,” Indelicato said. “I was given the opportunity to work directly with clients while also meeting more administrative needs in the office.”

The experience also provided some key life lessons.

“From my internship, I learned the value of patience, collaboration, and flexibility,” Indelicato explained. “I learned that growth and change require a significant amount of time and investment to effect, but if people are driven by a shared mission and vision, they are able to accomplish incredible things. I also recognized the immense value of diversity and the importance of never underestimating or limiting other people’s potential.”

Applications for City Research Scholars internships open Nov. 1, with a deadline of Dec. 1.