Skip to Top NavigationSkip to ContentSkip to Footer
Ferris State University BulldogFerris State University Logo

Internship Experience at Saginaw DEA Field Office Provides Real Experience for Snowden

Each year, hundreds of Ferris State University students gain valuable work experience through an internship. The experience of an internship also can confirm or redirect career decision-making, provide marketability, develop people skills, and enhance classroom learning. Many academic programs require an internship, but the experience is encouraged regardless to provide students with a better understanding of what will be expected of them in the workplace.

Henry Snowden Jr.Students are participating in various internships in a variety of locations this summer. Meet Henry Snowden Jr.

Who: A senior from Flint, majoring in Criminal Justice

Internship: Snowden is working at the Saginaw field office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the federal agency responsible for enforcing the country’s controlled substance laws.

What he’s learning: Snowden has developed an understanding of how drug dealers operate and how DEA agents execute their mission when it comes to catching a drug dealer.

“This internship is very fascinating and amazing; I’m learning new things every day,” Snowden said. “Being able to work with such professional, genuine people is such an honor.”

Snowden’s responsibilities consist of filing and shredding documents. He occasionally goes on a “ride along” with agents and is learning different techniques about proper surveillance. Snowden has also learned the law aspect of the job, such as the different charges a person can get selling a certain type of drug, and how the differences in quantities can make a difference in the amount of prison time.

How he’s benefitting: “I am gaining so much knowledge that I never knew prior to starting this internship,” said Snowden, who is completing his internship unpaid. “I am getting a lot of hands-on experience from each agent, and it has been a great way to network inside the federal government.”

Goal for the future: Snowden plans to attend graduate school at Ferris to earn a master’s degree in Business Administration. He hopes to pursue a career in the criminal justice field with a federal agency such as the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF), the Secret Service or the DEA.


Visit our "Meet the Interns" website for the most up-to-date listing of this summer's featured interns. Click here.