COVINGTON, Ga. — For many years now, the city of Covington has hosted a summer internship program geared toward helping college students learn and gain professional experience. 

This year, Covington partnered with the Covington YMCA to help center the program around project management. 

Jacqueline Dial, Covington’s human resource manager, oversees the internship program. She decided to have project management be the focus because of its importance to the workforce. 

“You have to know how to complete some type of project,” Dial said. “Whether you’re a mathematician or a planning and zoning person, you’re going to have projects. 

“By partnering with YMCA, every Friday [the interns] are volunteering there and every week somebody else is in charge of a project.” 

Participating in the program, which is a paid internship, were Newton County residents Elysse Camp and Leah Camp, who are not related, and Samantha Wheatley, Cameron Dunn and Claire Bradford. 

Elysse Camp is a student at Valdosta State University working toward a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics. Leah Camp is at Fordham University in New York majoring in psychology. 

Wheatley is majoring in marketing while attending the University of North Georgia. Bradford is also attending the University of North Georgia and majoring in communications and organizational leadership. 

Dunn attends the University of Georgia and is pursuing a master’s degree in public relations.

Not only has each intern helped oversee projects with the YMCA but the main part of the internship has been working in various departments with the city government. 

But there’s more to the program than just work. 

On top of receiving hands-on experience with the city, they also receive experience for other areas to help develop their professional experience. For instance, each intern will sit through a panel interview to help sharpen their interview skills each summer. 

Dial stressed how doing so has assisted many who came through the program. As a matter of fact, Covington has hired two interns in the past that came through the very same program. 

“This year, we had the interviews last week and last Friday [July 22], one of our interns had an interview and she was like, ‘It helped immensely.’ 

“When you’re going to your first interview ever for a job, you’re scared. This [program] gives them the opportunity to already have that experience.” 

Friday, July 29 marked the end of this year’s internship program. However, applications to apply for 2023’s summer internship program will become available in January 2023. For more information, visit https://www.cityofcovington.org/. 

Dial has already been brainstorming ideas for next year’s cohort of interns, too.