(l-r) Loffredo, Laubscher
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Things look differently today than they did one year ago. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the world halted, and with it, opportunities such as internships fell through for many college students, one of them being Alexander Laubscher ’22. A helping hand from Anne Landon, career advisor with the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences (CEAE), as well as a local alumnus, enabled the corporate communication major and graphic design minor to secure the experience he needed to build his resume.
Lycoming College’s CEAE is dedicated to helping students identify and participate in a wide-range of experiences that allow them to develop intellectually, professionally, and personally, including internships, student-faculty research, and global travel. The Williamsport Internship Summer Experience (WISE) – one of the CEAE’s signature programs – enabled Laubscher to transition a part-time winter job into a summer internship, granting him more professional experience in his field.
Lycoming graduate and former business department intern Dominic Loffredo ’19 made way for an internship at the Million Dollar Solution, which is a branch of Steinbacher, Goodall and Yurchak— an Elder Care Law Firm based in Williamsport, Pa. Loffredo started in the firm as an intern in the marketing department, which later connected him to his future position of director of operations for the Million Dollar Solution where he provides marketing, human resources, and education coaching for elder law attorneys across the country.
“Based on my college experience, I know how important a quality internship is, especially one that relates to your passion,” said Loffredo. “Shortly after becoming the director of operations, I realized this would be a great opportunity for experience, so I decided to contact the CEAE and see if they could list an opening for me.”
Laubscher aims to be a product manager or a communication specialist, and because of this, Landon reached out to him about the opportunity to work with the Million Dollar Solution part-time.
“It’s a perfect fit for me,” said Laubscher. “I was already familiar with creating graphics using Adobe Illustrator due to design games during my free time, and with this opportunity, I am lucky to be able to brush up on my skills.”
Students at Lycoming College are required to complete a professional experience, whether it be study abroad, a practicum, or an internship. By participating in this internship, Laubscher not only fulfilled a graduation requirement, he benefitted from the WISE professional development workshops. In addition to working on social media, marketing, and advertising for the Million Dollar Solution he is assisting in the planning process for three different conferences, including the national Dementia Focused Practice Conference, dedicated to helping attorneys and their staff gain further education on dementia to ensure their clients receive the highest level of care possible.
“I am so excited to have had Alex’s help in planning these conferences,” Loffredo said. “As a Lycoming College alumnus, I think it is very important to give these opportunities to students who are not only eager to learn but who bring something fresh to the table.”
When asked whether the internship will help him reach his career goals, Laubscher replied, “Definitely. I am gaining experience by helping the company from the ground up with planning conferences and maximizing their social media outreach.”
The pandemic may have derailed plans for the 2020 year, but now, with the world slowly reopening, things are looking up. Loffredo is working toward expanding the company to have members in 75 percent of the country, and after graduation, Laubscher intends to look for a communication or public relations job in the entertainment or gaming industry. “The internship has been an amazing opportunity,” Laubscher said. “I am grateful for the doors that could potentially open.”