INTERN Q&A: Henry Sule ’24 & Janai Crawford ’23

INTERN

Henry Sule ’24

Augustana University student Henry Sule ‘24, of Jos, Nigeria, is double majoring in finance and government & international affairs with minors in business administration and computer information systems. Sule interned this past summer at Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA), located at Cherapa Place in downtown Sioux Falls. With MMA, Sule gained experience in business insurance, employee health and benefits, as well as private client services with the opportunity to focus on an area of his choice for the last half of the internship.

What are your career goalsaspirations?

Long term, I would like to start an agribusiness company back home to better utilize my country’s resources while diversifying the sources of income. Whatever I do, I know that I want to do work that values people, is sustainable and has a higher mission than profits.

What did you like most about your internship?

I knew so little about insurance coming into the internship, and I did not really see myself as someone who would work in insurance in the future, but my time at MMA truly exposed me to the insurance world in a way that I had not previously seen. The internship was really an opportunity for me to grow not only in my understanding of insurance, but as a professional. I learned about the different lines of insurance offered for businesses and where the possible exposures of a pig farm may be, but I also learned how to ask questions, market myself as a professional and work with a team to produce exceptional results. I really love that this internship was structured to develop exceptional young professionals, not just cogs in a machine.

What did you hope to learn or gain from the internship?

I have learned so much about insurance from an agency standpoint and how much consulting really comes into play in terms of an agency. I would love to continue to build relationships with my fellow interns and colleagues of MMA to build lasting relationships where I can learn from the wealth of knowledge that exists at the company. I would also love to learn more about the qualities of a successful business and how processes, decisions and people really drive the success of business.

Why is experiential learning so important to you in your future endeavors?

My internship taught me skills that I would not have been able to learn as easily or effectively seated in a classroom. My internship allowed me to put skills into practice that I had only previously learned and thought about. There really is no substitute for experiential learning. The opportunities I had have helped me narrow my focus on what I want to do in the future, and also learn practical skills and gain knowledge that I can use in the future.

How important is building relationships and connections?

Building relationships is immensely important to learning more about yourself and different perspectives. As a business student, I have also learned just how important relationships are in terms of networking and being able to have a system of support and communication. Through my relationships, I have found out about opportunities that may have otherwise eluded me, and I have been able to learn about topics and issues that are normally outside my realm of interest.

SULE’S INVOLVEMENT

› Technical Director, Augustana

Student Association (ASA)

› African Student Union (ASU) › Viking Advisor › Writing Center Tutor › Student Ambassador,

Office of Admission

› eSports Club › Augustana Cultural Exchange (ACE)

Ambassador, International Programs

Office (IPO)

INTERN

Janai Crawford ’23

Sports Medicine Internship in Australia

Augustana University student Janai Crawford ‘23, of Tea, South Dakota, is pre-physical therapy, majored in exercise science and on her way to earning a Master of Science in athletic training (MSAT). Crawford wants to become a physical therapist and specialize in sports medicine. This past summer, she fulfilled a goal that had been years in the making — securing an internship with LifeCare Prahran Sports Medicine in Melbourne, Australia.

What are the reasons you chose Augustana?

When I was walking around campus during my campus visit and during my discussions with faculty, I was never made to feel as though I was just a number. There were people shouting across campus that I should choose Augie, and my family and I were joking around with my guides; it really just felt like Augustana could be a home away from home.

How did you get the internship? Did anyone help you? What did that jourey look like?

I had been planning an internship of this kind for years, gathering as many pamphlets from study away fairs as possible. A representative from The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) came to speak during one of my exercise science classes so I was more familiar with their program offerings than some other organiza-

tions. I approached Erin Kane (associate director of International Programs) with some of the organizations and programs I was interested in and sought out her advice and assistance with getting this dream off the ground. She put me in contact with representatives from the companies I was looking into and I decided to apply to TEAN and ISA’s Australian internship program. I cannot even begin to name all of the people who have helped along this journey, between my family who has supported my adventurous nature, faculty who helped me organize the educational component of this internship necessary for my VISA, and the organizations which awarded scholarships to lessen the financial burden of this amazing opportunity.

What did your job duties include?

My responsibilities included assisting with rehabilitation exercises, analyzing faulty biomechanical patterns, research assistance (organizing data), performing strength assessments, gathering patient evaluation forms and helping around the clinic with cleaning and organization.

What did you like most about your internship?

There were so many things that I loved about this internship that it is extremely difficult to pick what I like most. The people who I worked with are amazing and at the forefront of sports medicine research. I loved watching myself grow from week to week, and I really enjoyed working with the patients in the gym on their rehabilitation and seeing how far they have come in the short span that I have known them.

What did you hope to gain from the internship?

I hoped to continue to grow in the skills and knowledge base that I have gained during my time in the athletic training program. Another goal of this internship was to gain a better understanding of the day-to-day life of a physical therapist and whether or not I would like to specialize in sports medicine. The people who I Why is experiential worked with are amazing and at the learning so important to you in your future endeavors? forefront of sports Physical therapy itself is a medicine research. field dependent upon handson experience (our evaluation tactics are heavily reliant JANAI CRAWFORD ’23 on recognizing the feel and Master of Science in Athletic Training movement patterns of healthy joints and muscles and distinguishing these from improperly functioning systems).

How important is building good relationships and connections?

Building relationships is extremely important in physical therapy. Establishing relationships with your patients in which they trust you and your knowledge to help them heal is critical in rehabilitation. They need to know that you are there to assist them in achieving their goals; that you are going to push them but never push them too far. Developing a network between colleagues is also important as it allows you to have people who you can bounce ideas off of and aids in making referrals between different fields of specialization and professions.

AFFORDABLE FOR YOU 100%

of full-time undergraduate students receive scholarships and/or grants

$30,010

Average amount of 2022 student gift aid