This semester, Spring 2022, I was able to be an intern for a non-profit organization called Silver State Service Dogs (SSSD). I did not know what to expect whatsoever because I did not know anyone personally who had been a part of an internship at UNLV. Now that I have experienced this process, I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to further their college experience or delve further into different opportunities! I was not sure what I wanted to do after graduation and now I am very excited to say I would like to be a social worker and continue to give back to my community. There were many opportunities throughout this internship to be involved and SSSD is an adaptable and flexible environment. There were a total of three interns, including myself, and we worked together well and with each of us working on different projects, we kept everything moving smoothly. One of my biggest accomplishments this semester that I will always cherish is collecting over four hundred pounds of dog food to donate to local organizations. We coordinated with Noah’s Animal House, a full-service pet facility located right next to a domestic violence shelter, and were able to donate ten bags of dog food containing forty pounds each. I hope to continue making donations and volunteering within my community, especially ones concerning domestic violence survivors and their sweet pets. I have always had a passion for animal welfare as well as the betterment of life for those who have experienced anything horrid. I have gained a lot of knowledge utilizing tools such as Canva to create infographics, such as the one seen below, and I think seeing the impact of what I was helping with directly is something that not many people get to experience. I would recommend SSSD to anyone with a passion for animals, providing those who need service dogs, donating, and much more to apply to be an intern under Diane Villa!
