The State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation was laid upon a bed of humanism, magnanimity, and camaraderie when it was chartered back in 2004. In the two decades since its conception, the foundation has proven itself to be one of the most influential and philanthropic organizations in North Carolina. Annually since 2017, the SECU has been providing twenty promising students from each UNC system school the chance to participate in a paid summer internship program that connects them to government agencies and non-profits of their choosing. Most of those agencies fall under categories regarding community education, affordable housing, enterprising healthcare, and other general human services. And, for Ms. Kianna Redetzke, her life’s calling had been clear before the emailed acceptance was even delivered to her.
Kianna Redetzke transferred to NC State in the fall of 2023, steamrolling towards her future with an Early College program that allowed her to graduate with her high school diploma and Associate’s degree simultaneously. NC State boasts one of the best BSW programs in the state, so choosing where to pursue her dreams was rather clear. With a Bachelor’s in Social Work and a Minor in Political Science, she would be equipped with all she needed to become a policy advocate in the field. All except an internship in the city she had grown to cherish.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. That’s why I’m drawn to the work the SECU Foundation is doing. I’ve spent a lot of time working on projects related to food insecurity and poverty, I want to help bridge the gap between what communities need and the legislation that impacts how it is received.”
Ms. Redetzke was aware of the exclusivity of the Fellows Program from the start, for only twenty of the state’s most promising students would be given a stipend to engage in an experience relevant to both their future resumes and overall life courses. She made it her goal to involve herself communally as much as possible, specifically within her chosen nonprofit, The Resiliency Collaborative. Furthermore, during the fall semester of 2024, Kianna sought out an alternative break service trip to Washington, D.C., a firsthand experience intended to expose future social workers to the visceral struggles of the lower class, including homelessness, substance abuse, and the effects of prolonged social isolation. It was this knowledge that inspired a renewed vigor in community advocacy, as Kianna recognized the systemic failure of our economy to provide for the working class in equal measure to the extent to which they provide for the rest of us.
A class that stood out the most to Kianna during her time at the School of Social Work was Legal Aspects of Social Work with Professor Sontina Barnes, a course focused on the blending of policy with advocacy. Since social workers must abide by the confines of our legal system, there will inevitably be those who advocate for changes to the laws that shape it. Kianna told us, “I walked away from that course with a new understanding of how powerful our role can be when we’re aware of the legal and systemic structures at play.” This is a major reason why Ms. Redetzke chose The Resiliency Collaborative for her internship, a nonprofit that offers academic and individual resources to high school students in Wake County.
The United States education system has become notorious as of late for lower-than-average test scores, teachers unable to cope with compounding stress, and the disillusionment of young people with American society as a whole. The youth of Wake County are no different, and Kianna hopes that throughout her internship, she will be able to provide even just a trickle of hope for students who may not have any other source of it. She will be coordinating the summer program, where each week she’ll volunteer at different community organizations alongside participating students. As a TRC College Coordinator, Ms. Redetzke will be a fellow to their legacy of such efforts as creating youth mental health curricula, presenting at national public health conferences, researching educational inequities, and forming clubs that positively represent students of all backgrounds. However, even if she were only volunteering with a single student, Kianna would still feel fulfilled by the experience.
“Getting to serve with them, side by side, and support real change collectively is exactly what I set out to do when I chose this major.”
The motto that the coordinators have adopted and that Kianna Redetzke strives to live by is “Standing for change with the initiative to create”. In her own words, “Getting involved in community work gives you a sense of purpose that is hard to find anywhere else. My biggest advice for my peers is to use your time in school not just to build your professional skills, but also to learn about yourself. Find the things that make you feel grounded and loved, your support system. When you know how to best take care of yourself, you show up so much better for the people and communities you’re working with. Pour into yourself, too, ‘cause you can’t pour from an empty cup. Don’t ever forget that this work is so necessary, and so are you.”
We thank you, Kianna, for sharing your college journey and experience with us. You are an inspiration to the School of Social Work and a model for the ways fellowship must continue to be nurtured and cherished within our communities.
“Pour into yourself, too, ‘cause you can’t pour from an empty cup. Don’t ever forget that this work is so necessary, and so are you.”
