As students in college, our biggest fear given the state of the economy is probably the impending job market. In addition to competing with hundreds of applicants for a select number of jobs, one disadvantage many graduates will have is their lack of employment experience. Due to the competitive nature of obtaining a job, many students are vigorously pursuing internships that will not only prepare them for the professional road ahead, but will also allow them to form vital relationships within the job market. 

Though good connections are extremely helpful to a successful career, for some, these connections are not so easily obtained. Through the Find Your Future program, college students who are cared for by the state of Illinois are paired with Chicago area businesses for ten weeks with paid internships. Many of these students have encountered various obstacles in the child welfare system, yet every one of these students (in order to be eligible for the program) is enrolled in college and maintains at least a 2.5 GPA.

The Find Your Future program is sponsored by Kaleidoscope and DCFS, not to mention the numerous businesses who make this program so successful. There are always business professionals available to give advice, and the staff at kaleidoscope and DCFS are by far the biggest component of this support system. The director of the Find Your Future program, Abbie See, places each intern with a business, but it doesn’t stop there. Not only do the creators of this program place students in very good internships, they also hold a number of workshops and networking opportunities geared to preparing us for the professional world. 

Last summer, with the Find Your Future program, I was placed with Streetwise magazine and served as an intern writer. Through this internship, I learned a lot about journalism and even had my work published in the magazine; most of all, I formed lasting relationships with my employer and the staff. From this program, we are provided with experiences that require professionalism and test our abilities. Through the rigorous internships we learn time management, discipline and effective communication skills. What skills we didn’t pick up from our internship were enforced by the Find Your Future mandatory workshops, which included classes on business etiquette and building a resume.

Shanicka Burdine, a senior at the University of Illinois, interned at the Cook County Juvenile Child Protection Division as a court coordinator intern last summer. When asked about her internship, she replied, “I never imagined myself working in a courtroom, at least not at this point in time. Even if our internships weren’t paid, the experience itself is worth it.” Another student who participated in the program is Victoria Nelson. Victoria is also enrolled at the University of Illinois and is a biology major. She plans on applying to the Find Your Future program next year: “I’m definitely applying next year, mainly because I know with Find Your Future there are people who want me to succeed. They don’t just place you in these internships; they provide a support system which makes it impossible for you to fail.”

The Find Your Future program truly lives up to its name, helping students prepare for their futures. As a college student, I may still have fears of the uncertainty of the job market, but I rest easy knowing that I’ve been prepared for whatever I will find in my future.


Jacqui Batts is a senior at the University of Illinois majoring in journalism and a 2009 alumna of Find Your Future.