Posted on
(HOWARD, SD) – Howard High School Senior Anna Schwader has been dedicated to serving her community since a young age. Given her interest in nonprofit and desire to make a difference in the lives of those around her, an internship with Horizon Health Foundation seemed like a natural fit.
When thinking about future occupations, Nonprofit Administration was not immediately Anna’s first choice. However, after conversations with her mother and the school librarian, she started to weight the benefits of working for a Foundation. Deciding to explore the possibility of this as a future career, Anna was led to an internship opportunity with the Horizon Health Foundation during her junior year.
“From my own experience, without this internship, I would never have gathered the passion for nonprofit organizations as I do now,” said Schwader. “The Horizon Health Foundation is led by incredible individuals who help me fulfill this desire of making a difference in a larger way.”
This internship has not been the typical experience some interns may have of making copies, calendar scheduling, etc. Tracy Pardy, Horizon Health Foundation Executive Director promised Schwader that she would give her hands on, personal experience that would be beneficial and similar to if she was a full-time employee of a Foundation – which is exactly what she received. Schwader enjoyed the experience so much that she has returned for a second year of interning as a senior this year.
“With my prior internship in 2018, I achieved all of the goals and knowledge I hoped to obtain,” said Schwader. “I could not imagine a better or bigger opportunity than this.”
During her internship, Schwader has been involved with donor visits, setting up future fundraising events with area high schools, and learning the behind-the-scenes database management. “This internship is going to be always be one of my favorite high school memories, as it has provided me with more than just a memory. It has given me the opportunity to discover what networks are and how to create them; how to properly make an ask; how to visit with donors, prospective donors, and patients who have received care; and in all, how to create connections within the workplace.”
Schwader plans to attend Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD following graduation this spring. Influenced by her recent experiences, she plans to pursue a degree in Nonprofit Administration and a minor in Communications. Following her degree, she hopes to work for a health care or college foundation in the future.
About Horizon Health Foundation
The Horizon Health Foundation was established in 2016 to ensure rural health care access to those in need and provide funding for Horizon Health Care. Horizon Health Foundation, a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation, seeks through responsible activities to encourage and derive sustaining gift support from current and former patients and interested friends, including corporate entities. The Horizon Health Foundation, operating in coordination with Horizon Health Care, is the duly designated fundraising arm for Horizon Health Care. In the broadest sense, the purpose of the Foundation is to create an awareness of the financial needs of Horizon Health Care, which are not provided by patient charges and to systematically implement plans by which dollar needs can be met.
For more information, please visit http://www.horizonhealthfounda... or call 605.772.4553.
About Horizon Health Care
For the past 40 years, Horizon Health Care has been providing personalized, affordable, high-quality medical, dental and mental health care through a rural, community-based network in South Dakota. Horizon is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves the medical, dental and mental health care needs of South Dakotans in rural, medically underserved areas through 110,000 patient visits annually in 32 community health centers in: Aberdeen, Alcester, Bison, Bryant, De Smet, Eagle Butte, Elk Point, Faith, Fort Thompson, Howard, Huron, Isabel, La Plant, Lake Preston, Martin, McIntosh, Mission, Plankinton, Wessington Springs, White River, Woonsocket, and Yankton. For more information please visit www.horizonhealthcare.org.