This summer I had the unique privilege of completing a 10-week internship with MAIP, which stands for the Multicultural Advertising Internship Program. Through my MAIP internship I was placed in Chicago, IL at FCB Chicago, which is one of the largest global advertising agency networks in the world. As a part of my Social Science Scholar Project I originally sought out to work with the local youth mentoring groups within the area, however, I ended up finding Off the Street Club as a result of my internship. FCB helps with Off the Street Club enacting fundraising efforts around the office. This helped me find Off the Street Club, which is Chicago’s oldest boys and girls club serving more than 3,000 youth in the Chicago area. I helped with their New Horizons Program, which is their program focused on getting advertising, media and marketing community leaders to help play with the children for baseball, museum, bowling, skating around the city.

I long have been dedicated to working with foster youth. I realized years ago that the best way to impact someone else’s life is to spend time with them. My time in Chicago reaffirmed my dedication and love for working with youth, especially fostered youth. 

This summer was remarkable. Post-graduation, I plan on returning to Chicago to work for the company that I interned with as an Art Director and also working with Off the Street Club or a nonprofit that works with youth in the Chicago areas. I am forever indebted to the Social Science Scholar program and donors who made this summer a possibility. None of this would have been possible if it had not been for Dr. Tom Taylor and Dr. John Mayo and the entire College of Social Sciences & Public Policy for supporting the summer of a lifetime.

Caleb Dawkins is in his fourth year at FSU and is double majoring in Political Science & Advertising.

The feature image is from the Off the Street Club website. Learn more about the group here.