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by Susie Shupert '06
You may have noticed the absence of a couple students from classes this semester. While some of those students have graduated, there are a few students who are busy completing internships outside the local area. Senior Chris Wheeler, a Recreation and Leisure Studies major, is currently working on his internship in Guam with Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR), where he works in the Sports and Recreation Office organizing and running all the sports and events on base.
"I am the Assistant Recreation and Sports Coordinator with any event or task," said Wheeler. "I take the lead on several tournaments, leagues, fun runs and any other events offered. I create tournament schedules, brackets and bylaws, as well as implement new events. I act as mediator between coaches, commissioners, players and the recreation sports coordinator."
Wheeler also works with commissioners to promote and run youth events. On top of the sporting events that he organizes and implements, Wheeler also offers service for community events. As a result, he has become very organized by keeping files of all the events and has also become more knowledgeable with Microsoft Publisher, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook.
Wheeler is one of five students in the Recreation and Leisure Studies program doing an internship 50 miles or more away from campus this semester. There is a process each of the students had to go through to get the approval to do their internships so far from campus.
"If it is an internship abroad, we want them to be mature and have a better-than-average grade point in their major," said John Braley, Wheeler's internship advisor and Assistant Professor for the Recreation and Leisure Studies department. "They must get approval from all four RLS faculty to leave the VWC area to do an internship. They should also start early researching the country and agency they wish to do their internship with. There is usually more paperwork and time lag in arranging overseas internships. Students should also discuss their interest with their advisor as soon as they get the idea of doing an internship."
"I had applied for this internship to MWR in August before the
school year had started because there was a deadline," said Wheeler. "I was told they need my experience in Guam, so I said OK and was on my way. I thought that this was my chance to see more of the world, and to travel when I am done with my internship."
"I think that VWC has helped my education to advance my internship experience," said Wheeler, "but I am the one that went out and applied way before so that I would have one foot in the door. I think it is all up to the student to get it done and not the professor. He is the one that leads you there but can't drink the water for you!"
"Our department has many objectives for students," said Braley. "They all boil down to our desire for students to put into practice the concepts and skills they have learned here at VWC in a real world environment. Obviously, we expect them to apply the skills and knowledge from their major courses. However, they are a product of a liberal arts education so we want them to develop a respect and working knowledge of other cultures, apply learned communication skills, respect those with diverse religious beliefs, continue to develop a personal philosophy of life and to experience new environments with the eyes of a artist, poet, historian and philosopher."
"We are in contact via e-mail, attachments and/or telephone about once a week, more if necessary," said 'Braley. "Dr. [Doug] Kennedy uses Blackboard's chat feature to communicate with Chris and other away students at the same time on a weekly basis in the senior seminar class."
"I have kept in touch with people at VWC by calling, AIM and e-mails," said Wheeler. Due to the fact that Wheeler is fifteen hours ahead of his friends in Virginia Beach, however, phone calls are not always the best method.
Wheeler's advice for any student interested in doing an internship abroad is, "Do it to get out of town and experience different cultures and parts of the world. Most people don't get this chance, so do it! Make sure you know your advisor and communicate with them."
Wheeler will be finishing his internship and returning to Virginia Wesleyan for graduation, but not before he does some traveling.
"The most exciting thing about my internship is that I was able to travel to Guam and experience the culture and Tropic Island," said Wheeler. "I will miss the hot weather here. It has been 80 or higher ever day that I have been here. I got out of the cold weather in Virginia Beach for the season and now have summer all year round."