MSU Experiential Learning

🏥💚 Did you know? Michigan State University has TWO incredible ways to experience Flint.

Most people on our page now know about our Flint Summer 2026 Study Away Internship Program-where Spartans spend the summer living, working, and becoming part of the Flint community.

But here’s something many people don’t realize...

🩺 MSU’s College of Human Medicine has called Flint home for more than 50 years. Medical students complete clinical training throughout the city while learning that great health care begins with listening, building relationships, and serving the community. The Flint campus is also home to community-engaged public health research and leadership programs focused on improving health outcomes alongside local residents.

That sounds familiar...

Because that’s exactly what our Flinterns are doing.

Whether you’re working in government, nonprofits, human resources, museums, public policy, law, economic development, education, or community organizations, every internship is rooted in the same belief:

**Flint isn’t just a place to learn. It’s a place that changes you.**

This summer, our Flint Study Away Program interns are discovering what generations of Spartan medical students have already learned—that the greatest classroom isn’t always on campus.

Sometimes...

It’s a neighborhood meeting.
A nonprofit office.
A community event.
A conversation with a resident.
A partnership built on trust.

Different majors. Different career paths.
One incredible city.

That’s the Spartan way. That’s the Flint way.

🚗💼 Cathy Catches Up: Flinterns in the Wild

Today’s stop: ROWE Professional Services Company!

Last week I caught up with Alya and her incredible team of supervisors—Lori, Chris, Katie, and Tom—to see firsthand how she’s making her mark in Human Resources.

ROWE Professional Services Company is an employee-owned firm providing engineering, surveying, planning, landscape architecture, and professional consulting services throughout Michigan. Behind every successful project is a talented workforce—and that’s where Human Resources makes all the difference.

As a Human Resources & Labor Relations and Psychology major, Alya is gaining firsthand experience across the many facets of HR, including talent acquisition, onboarding, employee engagement, organizational culture, and professional development.

Alya hasn’t just been learning—she’s been making an impact. She introduced a more efficient method for locating candidate information that the Talent Acquisition Team plans to continue using, demonstrating the value of fresh perspectives.

She has also played an integral role in onboarding ROWE’s summer interns, helping welcome them to the organization and creating a meaningful, supportive experience for her fellow interns. That’s leadership in action.

A huge thank you to Lori, Chris, Katie, Tom, and the entire ROWE team for creating an environment where students are empowered to contribute, innovate, and grow from day one.

This is experiential learning at its best: students gaining experience, improving organizations, and leaving a lasting impact. 👊💪🙌

🚗🏥 Cathy Catches Up: Flinterns in the Wild

Today’s stop: Hurley Medical Center!

Last week I had the opportunity to catch up with Selina and her supervisor, Summer, to see what it’s like to learn Human Resources inside one of Michigan’s premier healthcare organizations.

Hurley Medical Center is a nationally recognized teaching hospital and Level I Trauma Center that provides exceptional healthcare to the Flint community and beyond. Behind every outstanding patient experience is a dedicated team of professionals—including Human Resources—who recruit, support, and develop the people who make excellent healthcare possible.

As an Human Resources major, Selina isn’t just learning one piece of HR—she’s getting the full picture. Throughout her internship, she’s been rotating through the many different areas of the Human Resources department, giving her a holistic understanding of talent acquisition, employee relations, benefits, compensation, onboarding, professional development, and the many moving parts that keep a large healthcare workforce thriving.

But the learning doesn’t stop in HR.
Hurley has introduced Selina to departments across the organization so she can better understand the people she’ll one day support. That includes spending time with Matt Murray, Director of the Department of Public Safety, who even jokingly put Selina in handcuffs during a demonstration. 😄 Talk about gaining firsthand experience! (Don’t worry... she was quickly released and returned to HR.)

A huge thank you to Summer and the entire HR Hurley team for creating an internship that goes far beyond the job description. This is experiential learning at its finest—immersing students in every corner of an organization so they understand how it all works together.

And now for the workplace perk everyone is talking about... Selina has her own office... complete with her own bathroom. 🚪✨ That’s a level of internship luxury the rest of the Flinterns may never let her forget!

From HR to Public Safety, Selina is discovering that supporting people starts with understanding the entire organization—and she’s getting that experience firsthand every single day.
💚🤍