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Intern spotlight: Mikayla and Mackenzie
Mackenzie Noel: From ReStore to sustainability advocacy
This spring, Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region had the pleasure of working with Mackenzie Noel, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse majoring in psychology with a minor in environmental studies. Mackenzie joined us as a ReStore Operations Assistant, but her role quickly evolved into a meaningful internship with our Sustainability Department.
As part of her capstone course, Mackenzie was connected to Habitat by her professor, Dr. Alysa Remsburg, who was helping students find placements with local nonprofits. After an interview with Habitat staff in early February, Mackenzie began volunteering at the ReStore, where she helped on the sales floor and cashiered before transitioning to work more closely with our sustainability initiatives.
Mackenzie played a key role in our first-ever Upgrade and Save: Energy Assistance & Repair Expo, held at the La Crosse Public Library in late March. This event helped homeowners and interested community members learn about energy efficiency upgrades and funding opportunities made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. Following her experience helping at the event, she created easy-to-understand resources for homeowners and renters on available loans and rebates, ensuring community members had clear guidance on accessing these programs. Mackenzie also represented Habitat at the annual Earth Fair at Myrick Park, hosted by the Sustainability Institute, where she spoke with community members about ways to make their homes and lives more sustainable, along with sharing what other programs Habitat offers to the community.
Mackenzie wrapped up her internship with a presentation in early May where she reflected on her experience and proposed thoughtful recommendations for Habitat’s future. Her ideas included expanding events like the Expo into neighboring communities and building out online tools to make sustainable living resources even more accessible. Throughout the semester, Mackenzie developed valuable skills in time management, public engagement, and environmental advocacy. She shared how much she enjoyed connecting with people and guiding them through unfamiliar processes. Her work not only supported our mission but also highlighted the important intersection between sustainability, community education, and advocacy.
We’re grateful for Mackenzie’s contributions and can’t wait to see where her passion for helping others and creating sustainable change takes her next.
Mikayla DeGroot: Neighbors Day Coordinator
Another student intern we’d love to highlight from the spring semester is Mikayla. Growing up as the youngest of six siblings, Mikayla was surrounded by a variety of career influences--especially from her two oldest siblings and parents who all work in the business world. Her sisters' home office features no less than four computer screens, often covered in complex spreadsheets. Similarly, her dad’s accounting office in the Madison area is packed with over a dozen workspaces and twice as many screens. To Mikayla, that kind of environment once felt intimidating and a little overwhelming.
Now a sociology major with a minor in public administration at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Mikayla is set to graduate in December 2025. In November 2024 while browsing opportunities on Handshake, she came across a posting for a “Neighbors Day Coordinator” internship with Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region. With aspirations of possibly working at a nonprofit, she saw the role as a perfect way to gain firsthand experience and explore how organizations operate, from internal communication to team collaboration and task delegation. Up until that point, her experience had been mostly in customer service and retail, so she was eager to broaden her horizons.
Mikayla’s first meeting with Affiliate Director Beth offered valuable insight into the organization and the scope of Neighbors Day, including the difference between behind-the-scenes planning and day-of execution. Beth even created a personalized goals document for Mikayla which led to her attending a Habitat management team meeting that included a leadership and communication training exercise.
As the Neighbors Day event approached, Mikayla played a key role in assigning volunteer teams to project sites and organizing folders with maps and instructions. On the morning of the event, Mikayla helped coordinate a flurry of activity as over 500 volunteers arrived at The Nature Place and gathered tools from the trailer.
One of Mikayla’s early tasks was transcribing an internal “tasks” document into Microsoft Planner, helping staff better manage their responsibilities. She also sent volunteer recruitment emails to community organizations which boosted her confidence and communication skills. Reflecting on the experience, she said it gave her an incredible sense of fulfillment and helped her feel more comfortable in an office setting. “This sets the stage for my future,” she shared. She said she’s likely to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector after graduation. Now when she steps into her dad’s chaotic office it no longer feels so intimidating--just another place where important work happens.
If you are interested in pursuing an internship with Habitat for Humanity, reach out! Contact our Volunteer Coordinator Kelly Leibold at [email protected].
Partner Family
Stories
Darshida has been working to become a homeowner for years. She is a passionate nurse, a dedicated mother to four boys, and a longtime La Crosse resident. After years of hard work and unforeseen obstacles, Darshida and her family moved into their new home in spring 2023.