April 30, 2019
Chantaisa White will represent Ursuline College and learn about the nonprofit world this summer when she interns at the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul (SVDP), a human services and welfare organization that assists more than 300,000 people annually residing in Ashland, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit and Wayne counties.
White was the one Ursuline student chosen to participate in the Summer Fellows program sponsored by the group Catholic Community Connection (CCC). The Summer Fellows program places students from Northeast Ohio’s four Catholic colleges in paid, 10-week internships funded by CCC to address needs of Catholic ministries while introducing young adults to careers in Catholic organizations.
White is looking forward to it. “I heard about the program from Michelle Bennett in our Career Office. Her words of encouragement really pushed me,” White said.
The Cleveland native came to Ursuline after graduating from Villa Angela Saint Joseph High School. “I chose to come to Ursuline because it is mainly a women-focused college, which I liked. There are fewer distractions and there’s more focus. On top of that, it’s small. I didn’t want to go to a large campus,” she said.
White said she loved her first year and feels she chose the right college and the right major. “What made me choose Art Therapy is that I’ve been around art my entire life and I like doing things for others. When you’re working on a piece of art, it’s very relaxing and relieving of everything that’s tensed up in your body. That really helps people.”
At SVDP, she will report to Executive Director John Patton.
The competitive application process for the CCC Summer Fellows program includes essay writing and a series of interviews. Qualified candidates are currently enrolled students at Borromeo Seminary, John Carroll University, Notre Dame College and Ursuline.
On Fridays during their internships, the fellows will gather and participate in programming that includes orientation to serving in Catholic ministries, professional and leadership development, and elements of social justice.
Ursuline President Sister Christine De Vinne, OSU, PhD said, “A fellowship like this enables students to expand their learning far beyond the classroom and connects them directly to leaders of Catholic institutions across Northeast Ohio. We are grateful to Catholic Community Connection for making this experience available to our students and modeling a life of committed service.”
