Global and international studies major connects with local community and develops nonprofit skills during APEX fellowship

As Sophie Bruce ’25, a global and international studies major at The College of Wooster, searched for internships, she wanted an opportunity to help the local community and develop skills in the nonprofit sector. When she found an APEX fellowship with OneEighty, it seemed like a perfect match. OneEighty, located near the Wooster campus, provides support for residents of Wooster who are facing domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental health crises. During her time working with the organization, Bruce used trauma-informed methods to help new clients access resources and provided childcare and emotional support for shelter residents. Not only did she learn useful skills for her future career, like how to calmly handle stressful situations, but she also connected with the people using OneEighty’s services and learned their stories. For Bruce, this internship has confirmed that she wants to focus her career on helping those in need. 

“What interests me the most about the work I did was what I learned from my interactions with the women at the shelter, such as their lives, how they ended up where they did, and what they’re doing to get back on their feet.”

—Sophie Bruce ’25

How did you learn about the internship opportunity for your APEX Fellowship? 

“I learned about the internship opportunity through looking up internships at Wooster. The position was a good fit for me because it gave me the opportunity to learn about the Wooster community and get hands on experience helping people in need through an agency.” 

What interests you most about the work you did? What were some of the things you did each day? 

“What interests me the most about the work I did was what I learned from my interactions with the women at the shelter, such as their lives, how they ended up where they did, and what they’re doing to get back on their feet. Every day, I checked clients in and out of shelter, provided emotional support to shelter residents, provided temporary child supervision to the children of the shelter, answered domestic violence hotline, and assisted with the resident intake process.” 

Who was your mentor in this position and how did they help you to succeed? 

“Deb Murphy and Theresa Voltz at OneEighty were my mentors. They helped me navigate the emotions of working in this career and taught me valuable life lessons through their personal stories.” 

What are some skills you’ve learned that you see yourself carrying forward in your career? 

“Skills I’ve learned that I see myself carrying forward are Microsoft Word, empathy, and being able to calmly handle intense situations.” 

How has the internship helped you to see what’s next for you?  

“The internship has helped me see that I want to continue to work with those in need and focus my career towards making American life better.” 

Posted in Experiential Learning, Showcase Stories 2023 on August 11, 2023.