My name is Allison Millinger. I am a rising sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis where I am looking to pursue a major in environmental analysis. After taking a gap year from college, I was looking for a local summer job that would allow me to continue exploring my interests in data analysis and community sustainability before returning to St. Louis. When I stumbled upon APPRISE, I knew very little about the organization. But after reading through their website and seeing how their research supports community programs, I knew I wanted to be a part of the company, even if only for a short time.

I was lucky enough to work on several different projects during my time at APPRISE. I spent a large sum of this time on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Form Reconciliation. LIHEAP is a federal block grant program that provides energy assistance to low-income households. I was tasked with reaching out to LIHEAP coordinators to request the submission of necessary paperwork needed to retain their grants.  As the project went on, between the guidance I received from my coworkers and the feedback given to me by LIHEAP coordinators, I continued to understand the process more thoroughly, leading me to be able to explain the process more simply and concisely as possible to others. Although I had been timid at first, the project required me to improve my communication skills not just through email, but over the phone, and sometimes even over video calls. Over the two months I spent on the project, I was not only able to keep building relationships with my coworkers and clients but also build my own self-confidence as I grew increasingly comfortable with the work that I was doing. As the project came to an end, I was able to create a FAQ document that listed various problems that I encountered along the way, and the variety of resources that could be used to solve them. I hope that in the future, this document can be a resource for others.

During my time at APPRISE, I would say the two skills that were the most reinforced were patience and perseverance. While these may seem similar, they showed up in distinct ways throughout my work. As a research assistant, I frequently conducted outreach to different groups, which often meant contacting the same individual various times throughout the week via phone and email. Sometimes it took weeks to get a response, so in those moments, it was important to remain composed and persistent in my outreach. Though I practiced these skills in a specific context at APPRISE, I know they will continue to serve me well in both my academic and professional endeavors.

What I appreciated the most about my experience at APPRISE was the people. Whether I needed help troubleshooting Outlook, comparing data, or simply learning about my colleagues’ paths to APPRISE, everyone was welcoming, supportive, and eager to engage. Being around such helpful and welcoming people created an atmosphere that made me excited to come to my job every day to see what I would be doing next and with whom I would be doing it with. While I may not have been directly administering services or seeing an immediate community impact as I had in past  volunteer roles, the work that I have accomplished at APPRISE has only cemented how much I want to continue to advocate for and support local communities in a collaborative environment.

Written by: Allison Millinger, Summer 2025 Research Assistant, Washington University in St. Louis Class of 2028