It's a job and an adventure - Student Branch

Parks & Recreation, August, 2003

When most students are looking for an internship, they look around their community to find the right fit. Some more adventurous students look to broaden their horizons by looking out of state. Then there are those students who want a unique experience to add to their resume that will set them apart from others when searching tot their first professional job. That last category describes Kate Schneider's adventure. She just completed an internship for the United States Navy's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Department in Sasebo, Japan. The U.S. Navy, as well as other branches of the military; has formal internship programs vet up as a tool to recruit new professionals into military recreation.

Most students would think, "Well, I could never get into that program," and that's true, if you choose not to apply. "I applied for the internship in August of 2002 and by the next month, I found out that I was accepted into the program and placed in Sasebo, Japan in their Teen and Youth Division," says Schneider, who is on the NRPA Student Branch Board. "I departed for Japan on Jan. 15 and returned to the states three months later. While in Japan I had the most incredible experience. I not only learned more about military recreation. I also learned about the great Japanese culture. While I worked full-time, at night and on the weekends 1 was able to travel around Japan at very little cost due to the military's travel and tour division of MWR." When taking tours with MWR, a translator was on hand to assist Americans when trying to purchase goods or communicate with the Japanese.

The internship includes round-trip transportation to an assigned base as well as housing and a small stipend each week to cover meals and extra spending money. Interns also get pre-internship training about a month before they depart from Millington, Tenn.

"I found that the Japanese culture does not have recreation as a major in most of their universities," says Schneider. "Most Japanese either go to work or school or both six days a week. However, they do like to recreate when they are not working. Parks and recreation areas are full on Sunday afternoons all across Japan."

Sasebo Naval Base MWR holds events that include the American and Japanese communities. For example, the base Child Development Center has a community day for American and Japanese children to share arts and crafts as well as games. American kids teach the Japanese children an American game or activity, and then the Japanese kids teach the Americans a Japanese game or activity. What's more, a large American Festival is held yearly off-base to promote camaraderie.

Schneider developed a 10-week summer camp program for her university credit. It involved two separate camps per week; one was all adventure camp, while the other was a "creative" camp for kids who wanted to do creative projects instead of taking part in an outgoing adventure camp. Both programs are being implemented in Sasebo.

While working in the Teen and Youth Division, Schneider was also able to visit other MWR divisions and gain a better understanding of what MWR does. "This experience was an incredible experience that I would not trade for anything," says Schneider. "I would strongly urge any student wanting to do something unique and adventurous for their internship to consider doing an overseas internship for the U.S. Navy Morale, "Welfare and Recreation Department."

Schneider is a graduate of San Jose Stale University and begins a master program in sports management at West Virginia University this fall. For more information on the program, go to www.mwr.navy.mil. To contact Schneider, write to katieschneider@ hotmail.com.