Monday, December 2, 2013

Discovering Wichita State’s Best Kept Secret | by Kelsey Haynes

Kelsey Haynes
I didn’t know what the Center for Community Support and Research was until I saw the opportunity for a communication intern and began researching the organization. I really think it is Wichita State’s best kept secret.  This organization does so much for communities across Kansas that it is surprising in a sense as to why it isn’t as recognized as it should be.

When I attended the first staff meeting, I was entranced by all of the different focus areas and big initiatives at CCSR. Here’s food for thought:

Little things can become big things. How’s that for a lesson learned?

A little lady with a big idea founded a small organization from the experiences she had with a small group of people with big struggles. That small organization has grown so much in 30 years that it has made a big impact on communities across Kansas that want to be better.

I only applied for this internship because I needed the public relations experience. I never knew how much I would grow as a professional and a person. I have met some of the kindest people at CCSR; people who come to work every day and appear to be glad to be here. These days, there aren’t a lot of companies that keep employees around for more than 20 years, but CCSR seems to be good at that. This organization has a story to tell and I am honored to be able to research and conduct interviews to be able to tell that story.

The purpose of the 30-year anniversary celebration is to tell the CCSR story, market the organization and celebrate the success of the community organizations it’s helped strengthen. I am only here for a semester, but I feel my internship has made this one of the best semesters of my college career.

I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and experience that will brighten my future a little more and for that, I am grateful. I can only hope the next intern has the same experience I have.

Happy Anniversary, CCSR. Cheers to another 30 years of growth and success.

Kelsey Haynes
CCSR Communication Intern