Throughout my time working with the Fayette County Cultural Trust, I have learned numerous valuable skills surrounding asset-based community development and working with community organizations. This internship experience began with the overarching goal of doing preliminary research on entrepreneurship centers around the country and how the FCCT’s version of these centers can come to fruition in the Downtown Connellsville location. My fellow interns and I were also tasked with exploring the University of Pittsburgh’s potential role in supplying programming and class content for the entrepreneurship center, and what that would look like. This set of goals was accomplished by the end of the semester, as my fellow interns and I compiled our research into one spot for the FCCT and helped prepare transition materials for next year’s cohort of students. In addition to this work with the FCCT, my fellow interns and I also helped to compile population data for another University of Pittsburgh faculty member to use with future projects. 

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with the Fayette County Cultural Trust this past semester, building off the work and relationships my Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative group began in the Fall. This experience not only sharpened my professional and communication skills, but also helped to foster a deeper appreciation of and passion for civic engagement. I am confident in my ability to transfer the skills I learned in this experience to my future endeavors post-graduation. 

While I am technically completing my time with this internship, I look forward to continuing to watch the entrepreneurship center grow and what it will provide come to fruition, as well as see all the wonderful actions the Fayette County Cultural Trust continues to take. This opportunity has truly been foundational in my undergraduate experience at the University of Pittsburgh, and I am grateful for this connection I have beyond this semester!