United to Make a Difference

Maverick Cashman ’23, Cave Creek, Arizona
Major/Minors: Political Science; Spanish, Business

What year are you at Concordia and what is your major?

I’m a senior majoring in political science. I’ll graduate in December 2023.

Where are you interning this summer?

This is my first internship, and I’m a development intern at Churches United in Moorhead.

Why did you choose this internship?

This internship fulfills my PEAK requirement for Concordia, so that was a big factor. What really sold me was the fact that I’d be able to be a part of a team that really makes a difference in the lives of people in the Fargo-Moorhead community.

What are you hoping to gain from this internship?

Experience and perspective. As a young professional, any experience I can get is valuable. That’s going to let me add to my resume and build connections with much more experienced professionals.

What are some of your daily tasks?

It varies from day to day. I organize spreadsheets that help set up future events, I thank individual donors to our organization, and I help with the coordination of volunteers and donations overall. The neat thing about this job is that every day has something different to offer.

How will you use the knowledge you gain from this internship in the future?

Simple things like knowing how to use Excel are easily carried into the future. The best knowledge I will gain from my internship is likely going to be how to work with other nonprofits and businesses. This helps build connections and lets me figure out how to frame different things based on how each connection is tailored so, in turn, I can do what’s best for the organization.

What are your career goals and how does this internship help you move toward those goals?

In the next five years, I know that I will want to be out of law school, and this internship helps me in regard to gaining skills for when I seek a full-time job, which will get me on track financially. Plus, the internship will provide valuable real-world experience and perspective by the time I get to law school. As far as my long-term career, I’m leaning toward international politics. I want to be involved in the real world and do things that matter on the world stage. I have yet to see what that would entail, but I’m excited to find out.

^{Published July 2023}