From the classroom to the community: Broncos Lead graduate puts her communication lessons to work at local nonprofit

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Jobs in content creation and social media marketing are in high demand among Generation Z and Generation Alpha, who grew up on the internet. But translating the dream into reality isn’t always an easy task.

“I might have had a certain idea going into my internship of my perspective on social media and digital marketing, but when it’s actually applied to an organization, it’s very different,” says Western spring 2026 graduate Grace Mulock, who majored in interpersonal communication. “It’s been very eye-opening in the best way.”

With her degree newly in hand, Mulock is ready to make an impact in her field thanks to a yearlong marketing and communications internship with Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes (spoiler alert: she’s sticking around!). The experience through the Broncos Lead Internship Program allowed her to put skills she learned in class to work in real time.

“One of the benefits of being on a smaller marketing team is that they were willing and able to give me projects and let me do my thing with them, and I got really encouraging feedback,” she says.

Expanding reach and sharpening skills

As the largest independent food bank in Michigan, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes is a critical resource for many people. 

Mulock helped create a social media strategy to expand the organization’s reach and amplify important messages to the community. In turn, she bolstered the skills she was building in the classroom and fleshed out her resume.

“A lot of the classes I took my final semester applied directly to my internship at Loaves& Fishes,” Mulock says. “In some cases, some of the projects I was assigned were already things I’d done in my internship. It’s great to see how closely Western’s program aligns with what I’ll be doing in my career.”

Growing through holistic support

A transfer student with an associate degree in communication from Lake Michigan College, Mulock came to Western excited to expand her educational opportunities while also enjoying all that campus has to offer. She enrolled in Lee Honors College and joined registered student organizations such as the Sales and Business Marketing Association, American Marketing Association and Women’s Business Network.

“The classes were absolutely my favorite part of attending Western,” Mulock says. “I have always had such a desire for learning, and Western was really a place where I could strengthen that desire while also discovering more about myself in the process.”

Connecting with the Broncos Lead Internship Program allowed Mulock to take her career preparation to the next level. Funded by the Empowering Futures Gift, the program connects students with paid internships and professional development workshops.

“I wasn’t really in a position to do an internship that wasn’t paid, because I was paying for college on my own,” she says. “I really wanted to get experience, but I didn’t have the means to do it for free. So, the Broncos Lead program was a really great option for me.”

Looking ahead with purpose

Mulock has always had a heart for volunteering and community-building. It’s what drew her to a potential career in nonprofit work.

“The mission and perspective of nonprofits is something I really value,” she says.

Thanks to her hard work and Broncos Lead experience, Mulock will be able to continue making an impact in her field of choice post-graduation. Now that her internship is over, she has accepted a full-time role at Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes.

“This experience definitely solidified my interest and gave me an opportunity to gain confidence in the skills I got from my courses at Western,” she says. “I really feel prepared to go into the workforce.

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