Luther College junior Lee interns at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Luther College junior Faye Lee spent her summer interning with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. While there, she focused on donor engagement and fundraising. Specifically, this included researching prospective donors, creating fundraising strategies and publicity for the Global Church.

Lee, the daughter Khim Eng Tee and Seong Wah Lee of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is a 2015 graduate of SMK Seri Bintang Seletan. At Luther, she is majoring in political science and international studies.

Lee has learned much about herself while at her internship. "Having worked with the ELCA opened my eyes on the behind-the-scenes work that contributes to this program, and I was moved by how committed an entire body of Lutherans were to this mission, from the most major efforts to the most minute," she said. While working with ELCA, Lee  also learned how different donor engagement was from what she formally thought, she learned to sharpen her interpersonal skills and act in a way that best represents the company that she works for.

Lee's internship allowed for her to learn more about what she wants to do with her career. "As an international studies major, venturing into this internship allowed for me to launch my career in international relations through the lens of a religious organization," she said. The internship allowed for her to work with nonprofits and has peaked her interest to venture into an opportunity that is focused on public policy.

Approximately 10 percent of Luther students take an internship for academic credit each academic year. The Luther College Career Center assists students with their internship search through resume preparation, networking, online internship searches, career fairs, on-campus interviewing, and connecting the student to alumni through the college's Alumni Internship Program. Students also meet with a faculty adviser prior to the internship to create an internship learning plan that includes learning goals and assessment benchmarks. An internship work supervisor assists in the process by writing an evaluation of the student at the end of the internship. Students also complete a self-reflection form to help finalize the learning experience.