TCU Interns Are in The House
Texas Christian University and Samaritan House Create Internship Program

 

Texas Christian University and Samaritan House joined forces to develop a summer intern program for three of the university’s more ambitious students. The students, all undergraduates at TCU, receive hands-on experience in the daily management of a nonprofit. Samaritan House, in turn, benefits from their hard work and eagerness to connect with the community.

Colin Hunter, who will graduate this fall, has been working with Director of Finance James Askey twenty hours a week, assisting with the details of financial management and accountability. He has also been working with another intern, Liz Butler, on a comprehensive marketing plan that includes the new Villages at Samaritan House development.

In his work on Samaritan House finances, Colin has come to recognize the special care a nonprofit must take in managing money. “I have seen how important it is to be meticulous in your planning and accounting for every dollar,” says Colin.  “If you ask for too little you obviously hurt your own organization.  In addition, though, asking for more money than you can spend can hurt another organizations ability to perform their job to their best ability.  It's a delicate balance.” Colin hopes to enter a profession in nonprofit fundraising or administration once he graduates in December.

Liz Butler is a senior in the Entrepreneurial Management major at TCU.  She is an Entrepreneurial Intern Scholar and was paired up with Samaritan House through that program. In addition to her work on the marketing plan with Colin, Liz spends the remainder of her twenty-hour weekly internship working on plans for the new Villages Family Health and Education Center, and on coordinating fundraisers with staff member Aaron Siegel. Liz has enjoyed getting an inside look at how a nonprofit is managed.

“I really like being involved in all the different aspects of Samaritan House, and seeing what it takes to run such an organization,” says Liz.  “It is very interesting to do all the ‘behind the scenes’ things, and then go to the Samaritan House and see the residents that the programs are implemented for.”

Paul Daly, a senior Anthropology major, is helping re-imagine the Supper Club newsletter, assisting with planning for next year’s Run to Joe’s event, and developing an inventory tracking system for the Food Service program. He appreciates being able to gain practical business experience, while also helping to improve his community.

Paul’s greatest challenge has involved the commute between Samaritan House’s temporary offices and the resident facility, as he works from both places quite often. His future plans include pursuing an MBA and entering the corporate world as a civic-minded business leader.

Samaritan House wishes to thank TCU and the interns who have committed so much of their time and energy to improving the services for residents of Samaritan House. Their passion and commitment to quality exemplify the high standards set for the organization.

For more information about Samaritan House and its programs, please call (817) 332-6410, extension 160.