This fall, MTSU Data Science and the Christy-Houston Foundation (CHF) celebrated the launch of their second year of partnership with a kickoff event bringing together 13 student interns and the nonprofit organizations they’ll be working with throughout the semester.
The kickoff event is more than just an introduction, it is the moment when months of planning turn into real partnerships. Students are eager to apply their classroom skills to real-world problems, and our nonprofit partners are looking forward to the fresh perspectives and the data-driven support their interns will bring to their organizations this semester.
A Growing Partnership
This semester, 13 MTSU Data Science students will spend the next several months working directly with local nonprofits, tackling real data challenges and gaining the kind of hands-on experience that often times cannot be replicated in a classroom. The student were not simply assigned, they earned their spot. Students had to apply for these positions, and from a competitive pool of applicants, 13 students were selected to take part in this fall’s program. The students have the opportunity to be partnered with this year’s participating nonprofits:
- Smyrna Senior Citizens, Inc. dba Senior Activity Center of Smyrna
- A Soldier’s Child Foundation
- Read To Succeed
- Possibility Place
- The Journey Home
- Thriving Together TN
- Greenhouse Ministries
- Branches Counseling Center
- Main Street Murfreesboro
- Endure Athletics
- CAC Rutherford
- Doors of Hope
Each of these organizations plays a vital role in our community, and we are incredibly grateful for their willingness to open their doors and their data to our students.
Why It Matters
For students, this internship is a chance to move beyond the classroom and see firsthand how data science can drive real change, whether that means helping a nonprofit better understand the population it serves, streamlining how information is tracked and reported, or uncovering insights that support better decision-making. For nonprofits, it is an opportunity to tap into student talent and gain support on projects that might otherwise not be possible.
A Heartfelt Thank You to the Christy-Houston Foundation
None of this would be possible without the generous support of the Christy-Houston Foundation. CHF’s investment in this program is what allows MTSU Data Science students to step outside the classroom and into the community, applying their skills where they are needed most. From funding student pay to championing this partnership from the very beginning, CHF has been an incredible partner to MTSU and to the nonprofits it serves. We are deeply thankful for their continued belief in the power of connecting students with local organizations, and this second year of the program is a testament to what that partnership can accomplish.