Organizational communication students at Kent State have an exciting opportunity to hone their newly-acquired skills in a real world experience.

Neighborhood Development Services (NDS), a non-profit agency in Ravenna, has partnered with the Department of Communication and Information to place three communication studies interns with the agency each semester. Wendy Walters, Earl Watson, and Brian Connell are the pioneers who are blazing new trails at the agency.

The students who intern at NDS are fortunate in that they will be able to acquire first-hand the communication skills in relating to people in a group setting as well as on an interpersonal basis. Also, the interns have the opportunity to see how a non-profit agency operates compared to a for-profit corporate setting.

NDS contacted Kent State "because we realized we needed qualified help, but because we are a non-profit agency, we didn't have the additional funding to pay for that help," said Karen Bryce, Trainer in charge of Home buyer Education for NDS. “We decided that communication was the most important component for what we do,” Bryce added.

Bryce was put in touch with Dr. Robyn Parker, a professor who teaches organizational communication at Kent State. Together the two came up with a program that will provide the needed assistance to the NDS organization, while offering an invaluable learning opportunity for communication interns. In addition, the mutually beneficial relationship will perpetuate itself. A new set of interns will enter the organization each semester.

Neighborhood Development Services provides assistance for low- to middle-income first-time homebuyers. “We strongly believe in homeownership,” Bryce said, adding that NDS "needs to reach the most people possible and doesn't want to lose anyone in the shuffle."

Education is a key factor. Bryce's job is to conduct orientation classes that introduce the public to the possibilities of home ownership. She also teaches "Financial Fitness,” and “Post-Purchase” classes for those who qualify for the program.

Another element of education is one-on-one counseling. “We show people their credit reports and educate them on the ways to clean up any financial problems that might prevent them from getting a mortgage,” said Karen Phalen, Manager of Homebuyer Advisement.

According to intern Wendy Walters, “There's not a lot of money in a non-profit agency, but the satisfaction of enabling people to achieve the American dream of home ownership is a reward in itself.”

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