Arabella Michael

Majors: Brain and Behavioral Science, Law and Society 

Intern, Tippecanoe County Coroner's Office

1.) How did you learn about this internship opportunity? 

During the 2022-2023 school year I was in ROTC and my mentor had talked very highly about his internship from the previous summer. I had showed interest and he provided me with the information to reach out. After contacting the office and asking about the upcoming summer, they provided more details on how to apply.

2.) How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals?  

During my first week of my internship, we were introduced to the process of postmortem cases, which is a lot of new information that is being thrown at you. Being a quick learner was definitely a skill that was sharpened during this internship because there is always a lot to be done, and very specific ways to do it. One skill that was built on was viewing things from a scientific/ biological perspective. While we get the opportunity to do very cool things, such as sit in on autopsies or go to scenes, they can be difficult for people to view. Learning to see things in the eye of science has helped me learn and continue to ask more questions. This internship has given me a glimpse into the career field that I have been wanting to go into and confirmed my desire to be a forensic psychologist even more.

3.) How do you apply your Liberal Arts skills to your internship?  

Through all my Liberal Arts classes, the most valuable skills I have learned are my communication skills and problem-solving skills. After learning these skills in the classroom, I had the opportunity to translate them into my internship. Using my oral communication skills on the phone to answer questions or gather information from places has been incredibly useful thus far. My written communication skills are essential when writing a narrative for a scene or just sending emails/ texts about important information. Problem solving is used in trivial tasks such as finding items to restock inventory, or in sizeable tasks such as counting medications.

4.) What is a piece of advice you would give someone looking for an internship?   

I would tell someone not to be afraid to reach out to places they even think they would have an interest in. Talk to people in your classes and ask if they have had any internships they recommend. You never know until you ask, and the worst someone can say is no.