Summer Internship at Gurnee Park District

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Blog Author: Natalie Grolmes / Gurnee Park District Recreation Intern 2022

Hello, my name is Natalie Grolmes, the 2022 Gurnee Park District Summer Recreation Intern. During the school year, I am a senior at North Central College studying Psychology and Environmental Science. I am also on the women's triathlon team and involved in the honors program.

Variety of Opportunities:

Over the last two months, I gained valuable experience learning about various departments at Gurnee Park District, including a greater understanding of what goes into a special event, the setup, marketing, customer experience, and more. I was able to help in a variety of areas, such as pickleball, special events, and marketing to promote events. You may have also seen me co-running the Neighborhood Nights program. I enjoyed this weekly experience as it allowed me to connect with the community and interact with kids and their families through games and crafts that I helped to coordinate.

Connecting with the Community:

Gurnee is a wonderful, diverse community. Throughout this internship, I have helped with the summer concert setup and day of organization, and rentals where I was able to converse with many native Spanish speakers. I have studied Spanish for many years and recently went on a study abroad trip to Spain. Being able to communicate with Spanish speaking residents and coworkers was an immense benefit during my internship.

Another great experience was assisting with Human Resources and learning more about the field. I gained valuable knowledge while learning about the interview process, hiring, and onboarding. My Gurnee Park District co-workers provided confidence in me to share positive feedback, which was a rewarding feeling.

Independence:

My supervisors also encouraged me to explore areas of interest to me; therefore, I created an initial sustainability plan for Gurnee Park District. This would help to reduce Gurnee Park District's ecological footprint and benefit the environment. Segments of this plan will be submitted to the Sustainability Project Competition through Illinois Park and Recreation Association's (IPRA) "iLearn" program and the Park District of Highland Park. It was a great opportunity I would have never learned about without this internship.

Working at Gurnee Park District was such a positive experience. Not only was everyone so welcoming and open, but they were also very accepting and willing to help in any situation while promoting a friendly environment. Overall, this internship gave me a greater sense of what I want to look for in a career, with the ability to view and learn from multiple departments providing me a broader view of the park district as a whole.

I highly encourage others to explore this internship in the future. Thank you to Gurnee Park District for making this internship possible! 

 

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Friday, March 29 2024

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