From Internship to Impact: How One Student’s Vision Sparked a Statewide Partnership

What began as an internship project for Miranda Parrish ’25 has evolved into a landmark scholarship program and a college pipeline for Maryland’s next generation of civic leaders.

At Washington College, where experiential learning is at the forefront of the undergrad experience, the goal is for an internship to be more than just a line on a resume. It’s not that often, however, for an internship to spark a statewide partnership for the College and turn into a pipeline for new students. That is what happened over the last three years, though. And it all started with Miranda Parrish ’25 and her internship with the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation (DSCI).

In the fall of 2023, when Parrish was still a student in the American Civic Engagement course at Washington, an idea was born. Through her work with DSCI, Parrish saw a natural overlap between the College’s mission of fostering students’ growth as civic leaders and the state’s newly launched Maryland Corps and Service Year Option programs. A double major in political science and communication and media studies, Parrish was incredibly involved in civic-minded endeavors while still a student, including serving two terms as president of the Student Government Association. Through serving in these roles, she had seen firsthand how involvement in service-oriented opportunities can open doors for those committed to personal growth and service to their community. She wanted to bridge the gap, bringing together the resources of DSCI and the academic community at Washington College to support high school students and employers across the Eastern Shore.

Patrick Nugent, an assistant research professor and the College’s Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. Director of Civic Engagement, saw the brilliance in Parrish’s plan and took up the charge to forge a partnership with DSCI, aligning Washington College’s offerings with the goals laid out by then Secretary of DSCI, Paul Monteiro, Jr.

Last year, inspired by Parrish’s vision, the outreach led to the College hosting DSCI’s second annual All Corps Conference, transforming the campus into a training ground in valuable skills and strategies for ethical leadership for hundreds of service members from across the state.

Among those visiting members last year was Jocelyn Ball ’29, who was then serving her gap year with Columbia Community Care, a hunger relief nonprofit in Columbia, Maryland. The last few years of high school had been hard for Ball, and while college felt like the normal next step, she was hesitant to jump into undergrad life right away. Wanting to work in a service-minded atmosphere, the Maryland Service Year Option sounded perfect. The experience would prove transformational.

“[At Columbia Community Care] I was also surrounded by incredible, hardworking, and kind people. The experience with them was invaluable… I gained a sense of confidence in myself and the work that I could do. I know I wouldn't have gotten that if I had just gone straight into college,” said Ball.

When she found herself heading into Chestertown and onto Washington’s campus for the All Corps Conference last year, she felt it was yet another turning point.

“[Washington College] wasn't even on my list, but I remember being there on that training day and thinking, 'Hey, this place is really cool, and I could see myself being here',” she recalled.

She decided to apply.

“I really liked that there were a lot of service-driven opportunities here, and that it was clear that the College cared about the community that it was in. Community is very important to me, and that helped me see this was the right fit for me. And I haven't looked back since!”

Now a first-year student at Washington, Ball has transitioned from a service member to a student leader, recently returning to this year’s All Corps Conference—once again held on Washington’s campus—to deliver remarks to more than 600 of her peers about the power of finding a "home away from home" in public service.

“I not only go to school here, I have been made to feel part of a family and community,” Ball told the conference members. “I have been pushed into what I might have considered challenging or awkward situations, but I’ve had the patience, confidence, and support to know that they are really opportunities, opportunities to serve, to connect, to grow, and to learn. Almost a year ago to this day, I was sitting right where you are today, the same gym, the same tables, the same seats. But at that point in time, I had no idea that this training was going to alter the path of my life. I can remember feeling at home on the campus as we walked to different buildings and learning about the opportunities the school had to offer, and it was for these reasons that I decided to apply to Washington College.”

This year, the connection between Washington and DSCI has been formalized through the newly announced $1.32 million Civic Innovation Scholarships, a landmark initiative that will enable up to 10 state service members to attend the prestigious liberal arts college.

Parrish, who now serves as the visitors center manager for admissions at the College and plans to attend law school soon, sees the scholarships as a recognition of those who work toward missions similar to the College’s own.

“I am very thankful to know Dr. Nugent and to have had the opportunity to introduce this idea to him and see its development over the past few years,” said Parrish, noting that the scholarship opportunities for Service Year Option members show the College's continued commitment to civic engagement efforts and the importance of recognizing those across the State who work towards missions that are similar to Washington’s. “Jocelyn's story is a perfect example of how this program can help members discover their potential next steps after the program.”

The Washington-DSCI collaboration highlights a shared belief that young people deserve a seat at the decision-making table. While at Columbia Community Care, Ball worked under the guidance of mentors who encouraged her to "roll with the punches" and find joy in service, even when resources were limited. She has brought that same determination to her time at Washington, integrating into the Kent County community through a mentorship with local middle schoolers and working with the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience.

As the partnership between Washington College and DSCI grows, it continues to prove that experiential opportunities like internships and service years create a positive ripple effect. By supporting students like Parrish and Ball in their professional pursuits, the College is not only educating future civic leaders, but also building the lasting connections that bring new generations of service-minded students to the Eastern Shore.

—Dominique Ellis Falcon