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Monmouth College's Yahnke Fund continues to be a blessing for students seeking internships

by Barry McNamara

Monmouth, Ill. (07/17/2023) — Mason Martisauskas has done the math, and the rising Monmouth College senior from Merrillville, Indiana, can confirm this fact: housing expenses and gas aren't cheap for a college student.

That's why Martisauskas is grateful to have received assistance from the College's Yahnke Business and Economics Endowed Internship Fund, which was started a year ago by 1966 Monmouth graduate Dick Yahnke and his wife, Lee.

Martisauskas is interning this summer in Springfield, Illinois, with the Office of the Auditor General, working in the compliance department, where he "makes sure that government-funded agencies are using the funds that are appropriated to them, that they're being used correctly and that supporting documentation is provided."

"The internship fund has helped me pay for rent and travel expenses," said Martisauskas, a triple major in accounting, economics and business administration. "I am grateful for this opportunity because it's helped me gain experience, which is vital when trying to progress in this field. It's also shown me the importance of obtaining the CPA certification as well as the many opportunities that come with it."

Monmouth students Grant Foster '24 and Owen Wolfe '25 - both from Galesburg, Illinois - are also using the fund this summer, while May graduate Elijah Lind benefited from it during the spring semester. The first student to tap into the funds, May graduate Gayle Walker, used her internship experience with the Chicago Dogs baseball team last summer to secure a full-time event operations team member position this fall with the Chicago Bears.

'Extremely grateful'

Like Martisauskas, Wolfe was grateful for the supplementary finances that the Yahnke Fund provides.

"If it weren't for this fund, there is no way I would've been able to do this internship," said Wolfe, who used an alumni connection to land a corporate accounting intern position with Pepper Construction. "This fund has assisted me with almost all of my housing costs, which I've learned are expensive in the suburbs. Because of this, I have been able to save money and not have to worry about housing costs, limiting my personal expenses to food and gas. I am extremely grateful for this fund and the opportunity it's given me this summer."

After Monmouth, Wolfe hopes to land a job in the business world, particularly in finance, and the real-world experience he's gaining at Pepper Construction is helping him toward that goal.

"This internship has given me insight as to what being an accountant is like and some of what my future could look like in this field," he said. "It will help me tremendously when applying for internships for next summer and for jobs in the future."

"This is another great example of how the generosity of Monmouth College alumni allows students to realize academic and professional opportunities that might not otherwise be possible or affordable," said Marnie Dugan '95, director of the College's Wackerle Center for Career, Leadership and Fellowships. "Each of the Yahnke recipients is gaining valuable experience to assist them with launching their career post-Monmouth."

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Mason Martisauskas (left) is from Merrillville, Indiana. Owen Wolfe is from Galesburg, Illinois.

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