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Going into college, Denisha Mixon, senior in journalism and mass communication, expected to get an internship with a newspaper or magazine. Last fall, she entered the office of Greenlee’s Internship Coordinator Juli Probasco-Sowers looking for help to achieve just that. Instead, Probasco-Sowers pointed her in a different direction — one that led her to an on-campus group that she now considers family.

Mixon is an communications intern for [Science Bound](http://www.sciencebound.iastate.edu/), an Iowa State program aimed at “increasing the number of ethnically diverse Iowa students who pursue ASTEM (agricultural, scientific, technical, engineering, mathematics) degrees.” From middle school through college, the program helps its students succeed by giving them access to additional resources and scholarships.

Mixon’s job includes putting together the program’s newsletter, working with Science Bound students and staff, and planning and promoting events. She started her internship in October, and says that her work has helped her develop her communication skills.

“Hearing the students’ stories has really helped me with my writing,” Mixon says. “I am motivated to share their experiences, because it’s helping other students be a part of Science Bound and succeed in life.”

When she started, she said she didn’t know much about the program, but has witnessed its impact through her internship.

“I realized Science Bound has a great impact in their lives, and makes them more confident about what they want to do with their life,” Mixon says. “I love to tell people’s stories… it can help other people further their own life journeys.”

She said that the internship has made her better at writing for a target audience — which can include parents, faculty and students — and recommends communications internships to other students.

“Joining a different department to build on their identity can help you build your experience with targeting an audience, and help you see a different point of view,” she says.

Mixon said growing up, she didn’t have an outlet for science, but she hopes to give that to young people now by communicating Science Bound’s message to Iowa students through the various projects she gets to work on every day.

“I don’t get bored — I love it; I love getting new information about the students who are participating in different internships and programs,” she reports.

As she’s gotten to know her coworkers and gotten more immersed in the job, she’s beginning to find a home in the program.

“It’s been great, and I enjoy every minute of it. [Science Bound](http://www.sciencebound.iastate.edu/) is such a loving and caring environment…I feel welcome there.”