Recognizing new opportunities and springing into action can be intimidating—but also deeply rewarding. Piper Embrey (Junior, Psychology Major), Kyleigh Tuma (Senior, Marketing Major), Hannah Hardy (Junior, Communications Major), and Chelsea Quinn (Junior, Graphic Communications) are completing their first semester as interns supporting Habitat for Humanity through Clemson’s Pearce Center for Professional Communication. Though none had prior experience at the Center or with Habitat, they embraced the challenge and quickly got to work on several collaborative projects.
Pickens County Habitat for Humanity believes anyone can make a difference in their community, regardless of experience. That mindset inspired the interns from day one, reminding them that even if they weren't swinging hammers, their behind-the-scenes contributions mattered just as much.
One thing the interns appreciate is that no day looks the same. As current Clemson students balancing coursework, they’re trusted to set their own schedules, as long as they meet their hours and attend bi-weekly meetings to collaborate and prioritize projects.
Using Pearce Center resources, the interns help create engaging content to promote Habitat events and encourage community action. They design social media posts for Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and with access to Adobe tools through a studio partnership, they’ve been able to explore a wide range of creative platforms. In addition to digital media, they also contribute monthly to Habitat’s newsletter by interviewing volunteers and Clemson faculty. Every story highlights the diverse, meaningful ways people support the mission.
Organization is key at the Pearce Center. With multiple clients and projects, interns learn to develop action plans, distinguish between short- and long-term assignments, and coordinate responsibilities to stay on track and deliver results.
For Chelsea, the experience has been deeply fulfilling: “Working with Habitat for Humanity this semester has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I’ve loved being a part of something bigger than myself and watching our efforts turn into real impact in the community has been really awesome. I am thankful for all of the skills I have developed while working with Habitat and am excited to use them in future careers!”
Piper echoed this sense of purpose and momentum: “It has been a wonderful experience collaborating with Habitat for Humanity this semester. I have really appreciated the chance to be involved in Habitat’s mission and being able to see how our community can come together to create change. I am excited to take this same passion into my future roles beyond this opportunity!”
For Kyleigh, this final semester with Pearce and Habitat brought reflection and gratitude: “While I am sad that my experience as an intern at the Pearce Center working with Habitat is coming to an end, I am beyond thankful for such a wonderful opportunity as it has provided me with an amazing learning experience and much reward in spreading awareness for events while watching the community come together to make a difference.”
And Hannah appreciated the practical skills—and deeper impact—behind the work: “Along with getting hands-on experience with professional writing and marketing, it has been an amazing experience working with nonprofits like Habitat. I really enjoy knowing that our work can help positively impact others.”
Piper, Kyleigh, Hannah, and Chelsea stand as proof that sometimes all it takes is picking up a pen and paper to use your voice and build something powerful. Whether you’re painting, building, making donations, cheering on your peers, or simply offering encouragement, your contribution matters in the work of solving the affordable housing crisis.
