Alexys Smith was one of the winter quarter students in BIS 495, the internship course taught by Loren Redwood in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences. They “combined passion with academic pursuit,” Redwood says. By the end of the quarter, four of her 12 students had jobs.
Alexys Smith, who graduated in June with a double major in community psychology and in society, ethics and human behavior, is past her days as a cheerleader. But not too far past. She still looks like a member of her old Marysville Getchell High School cheer squad, and she was able to go home again – as the assistant coach.
It was at last fall’s homecoming football game when the athletic director suggested Smith talk to the cheerleading coach who was pregnant and could use some help. Smith started in October.
Smith found there’s far more to the team than rah-rah pompom waving. She scheduled practices, picked songs for the choreography, planned events and fundraisers. She organized a camp for little children in the community who then had the chance to perform at a game. Smith handled correspondence, advertising and social media. She organized the year-end banquet and a slide show.
“It was really fun,” she says. “Fun to get to know all the girls and see them grow, forming those relationships and interpersonal bonds.”
