NNMC Interns Explore Career Opportunities in the Community

Paid internships let students gain experience in their chosen field

In Fall 2024, Northern New Mexico College’s (NNMC) Career Services Department launched a transformative internship program designed to provide career-ready opportunities for first-generation college students from underserved communities. The internships are designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and workforce readiness. During the program’s first year, Career Services has placed 50 students in paid internships across a range of high-demand fields. 

“Many of our students who come from underserved areas lack access to professional networks, career guidance and hands-on work experience. Our internship opportunities provide critical pathways for our students, helping them gain real-world skills and industry exposure and building their professional confidence,” said Sara McCormick, NNMC Career Services Specialist. “Additionally, these internships allow our students to have career opportunities in their communities rather than feeling forced to leave for bigger towns and cities. This strengthens our local economies by keeping skilled workers in our area and supports small businesses and organizations with our homegrown talent.”

The foundation for the internship program was a $367,000 three-year grant funded through New Mexico’s Workforce Training, Apprenticeship, and Internship Support initiative, administered by the New Mexico Higher Education Department (NMHED). The initiative is designed to expand access to high-quality, non-credit workforce training programs, apprenticeships and internships that lead to industry-recognized credentials in high-need sectors. In addition to 20 paid internships per year, the grant is paying salaries for instructors in welding, computer literacy, electrical lineman, carpentry and HVAC to prepare students for internship opportunities. 

Additional internships were funded through a partnership with Future Focused Education’s (FFE) X3 paid internship program, which provides targeted, high-quality work experiences, particularly for students from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. The Career Services Department also received a $25,000 grant from the Regional Development Corporation (RDC), which was used to create 15 additional regional internships.

“Paid Internships like these give our students a chance to step into roles where their voices, backgrounds, and talents matter. They gain experience in real workplaces, contribute to their communities and start to see themselves as part of the region’s future,” said Alan Kapulski, part-time Career Services Assistant. “It’s one of the most direct ways we can support equity and opportunity in Northern New Mexico.”

Career Services built the internship program from scratch, developing intern and employer applications, cultivating each of the placements within the community and making sure employers were aware of their responsibilities, including providing a mentor for each student.

One goal of the program is to match students with internships that align with their career goals, regardless of their field of study. Over the past year, those have included internship placements in STEM, Film & Digital Media Arts, Business, Environmental Science, and Allied Health.
Northern’s STEM Career, Transfer, and Internships Coordinator Ashley Duemmler has been instrumental in facilitating the STEM internships. She said, “Partnering with employers and providing STEM internships helps students explore their career paths and gain that experience while in college. Even potential students ask about our internship opportunities, which is excellent to be thinking about early on.”

The Internship Experience

At the end of their internship, the students give a presentation about their experience, describing the work they did, the challenges they faced and what they learned over the course or their internship. 

Reynel Orozco worked as a Medical Assistant Intern for Presbyterian Española Hospital, with Mariah Romero as his mentor. Orozco is studying pre-med biology at Northern with a goal to attend medical school. He called the internship “a rare opportunity to see how everything works behind the scenes in healthcare.” It also allowed him to build his resume, have some clinical experience and gain skills in his field.

Orozco assisted with day-to-day tasks in pediatrics, internal medicine and podiatry, such as taking vital signs and preparing exam rooms before each visit. He worked with patients with chronic issues such as diabetes, kidney issues and blood pressure problems. He gained experience handling medical records and learned how to communicate professionally. Orozco is interested in becoming an anesthesiologist, and on his final day he was able to shadow an anesthesiologist in general surgery. 

“The internship gave me a strong foundation in how to shape the direction of my future in healthcare. It prepared me both practically and mentally for what lies ahead in my career,” Orozco said. “Clinical experience gave me confidence to work in fast-paced medical environments. Understanding hospital routines and teamwork will make it easier to adapt in future medical jobs. I learned that working in the hospital can definitely be stressful but knowing you’re helping people makes it all worth it.”

The experience caused Orozco to reevaluate his career goals. 

“My goal was to become a pediatric anesthesiologist, but after getting to work with kids in pediatrics, it made me rethink if I want to go that way, because they’re really fragile bodies. Any little thing can mess up their life in the long run. So I don’t know if I want to do that,” Orozco said. “But learning how to care for fragile patients taught me the importance of precision and compassion, skills I’ll carry into my future medical role.”

The experience strengthened Orozco’s commitment to getting into medical school. 

“I was lucky to get advice and tips from doctors about what it takes to get into medical school,” Orozco said. “It didn’t make me want to any less. Instead, it made me grow and realize that even though I have a long way to go, I’m ready to work for it.”

Sabrina Gonzales is an environmental science major who interned in the San Ildefonso Pueblo Legal Office with mentor Brandi Martinez. Gonzales had never worked in an office environment, so developing the skill set required for the job was challenging. Since she didn’t want to disappoint her mentor, she taught herself to use the office software, doing it so well that Martinez was unaware she lacked that skill set. 

“This internship solidified my desire to pursue a career where I can contribute to the community and engage in meaningful work. It instilled a sense of purpose and direction and helped me shape my career goals, helped me identify my interests and strengths and it deepened my interest in politics,” Gonzales said. 

Gonzales spoke about what impressed her most. “Everything that you do here, from being secretary to being manager to being a council member, you really contribute to the Pueblo, and I think that’s amazing. Everything you communicate about, it does make a difference on the Pueblo and for the people who live here. It really made me think of what kind of career I could find where I could do the same thing in my community.”

Maria Vigil worked as an intern in TeamBuilders Behavioral Health’s respite program, which provides a therapeutic break for parents and caregivers with children who have exhausting behaviors. The 6- to 12-year-old students attend the program after school and on evenings and weekends. Vigil, who is studying nursing at NNMC, chose this internship because she loves kids and wanted to get her foot in the door in the medical field. Her mentor was Jazmine Grajeda. 

“I knew all my life I was meant to help people. That’s what I wanted to do,” Vigil said. 

Staff and interns in the respite program work with the kids on how to deal constructively with their emotions, practice coping skills and daily living skills like socializing with their peers. Vigil learned patience “in the kindest, most whole-hearted way.” She learned how to read social cues, how to deescalate a frustrated child and how to engage them in helpful activities based on their individual needs. 

“I’ve always loved kids, so with this I felt like my strength was with kids. I knew that because I loved this job so much. I loved this internship. I really do love working with the kids,” Vigil said. “You form your own bond with the kids. You really get to know them.”

Intern feedback

In a post internship survey, 100 percent of the interns agreed that the internship experience met or exceeded their expectations. They felt that they had learned valuable, real-world skills, were more confident in their abilities and that the internship helped clarify or support their career goals. They also agreed that they received an excellent quality of mentorship during their internship program and felt that their contributions were valued by the hosting organization. Overall, the experiences strengthened students’ confidence and left a lasting positive impact. They would overwhelmingly recommend this internship to other students. 

Carrying it forward

The internship program is part of a broader strategy that includes building direct employer partnerships, offering career-readiness training and creating sustainable, equitable pathways to professional employment in Northern New Mexico. Career Services’ goal is to continue expanding paid internship opportunities for students regardless of their financial background or academic discipline, increasing partnerships with employers in high-growth industries and enhancing mentorship components to further support student success.

“These experiences are empowering and life-changing for our students who come from low-income families and are first-generation college students,” McCormick said. “This program is not just changing lives—it’s strengthening Northern New Mexico’s workforce by empowering first-generation students to thrive in their careers.”