Most people at Madison College may not realize I was a stay-at-home mom for nine years with two wonderful children.

About a year ago, I decided it was time to reenter the workforce. I had no idea what a blow to my confidence this process would be. After all, I had a bachelor’s degree and a career before I became a mom.

One human resources representative said, “You need to stop applying for jobs. You will never qualify for anything.” All I wanted was a chance to prove myself again, and her comment stung. This conversation pushed me toward the idea of returning to school, but I wasn’t sure where to focus.

It was only after I spoke with Larry Hansen in the Journalism Certificate program that I knew exactly what I wanted to do. It felt right. Hansen told me about an internship in the Communications and Public Relations department at Madison College. I was both elated and surprised when I was hired to fill one of two intern spots.

I wake each morning grateful for the opportunity I was given with this internship. I could not ask for a better hands-on experience to learn from Communications and Public Relations Manager Cary Heyer, Media Relations Specialists Bill Bessette and Robin Gee and my co-intern Betsy Osterberger.

My internship gave me the confidence to reach out to Doug Kirchberg and the staff at The Clarion, who also gave me a chance to prove myself as social media editor and writer.

As my time at Madison College draws to a close, I feel overwhelmed by the generosity, guidance and opportunities Madison College has brought me.