September 1, 2026
Mount Mercy University
“Not all of us are dealt with what we deem as the ‘right’ cards, but that doesn’t mean we can’t reshuffle our deck for a better outcome.”
That's how Piper Estling '27 describes the perspective that has shaped both her life and her career aspirations. It's a mindset she put into practice during her internship at Tanager—an agency focused on prevention, treatment, and outreach of youth—where she discovered the power of helping children find hope in difficult circumstances.
Growing up, Piper always knew she wanted to help people. She worked at a daycare for five years, and working with those children, she realized how much of a difference she could make in their lives as a therapist.
Mount Mercy University was where she wanted to begin her journey. Coming from Center Point, Iowa, Piper enjoyed the smaller class sizes and personal environment she found on the Hill.
“I came from a smaller hometown, so coming to Mount Mercy with the smaller classes was super great, knowing that you're not just a number in your classes, you're actually a person, and your advisors and professors are just so open to working with you, actually understanding you, and talking to you.”
It was through a classmate that she found out about an internship at Tanager Place, a children’s human services agency working with children, teens, and young adults. There, Piper worked in the “cottages,” helping children through programming and their everyday routines. This meant helping them learn the importance of hygiene and healthy food habits, along with exposing them to activities such as the public library, local nature centers, and pools.
Beyond those everyday routines, Piper was also there to listen to and encourage the children she worked with.
“Just reminding them that they have a voice and they matter and just being able to empower them and show them, ‘Hey, you can do this. I will help you, but you can do it,’” she explained.
Piper was able to take what she learned in the classroom at Mount Mercy and apply it directly to her work at Tanager. In her Basic Helping Skills course, Piper participated in role-playing exercises that taught her how to listen, create a comfortable environment, and support someone through difficult conversations.
She carried those lessons with her to Tanager, where they shaped the conversations she had with the children she supported.
“‘I know your feelings are valid. Maybe I don't understand where you're coming from, but we can do this, we can get through this. How can I help you?’” Piper recalled telling them.
Tanager taught Piper many things about herself and the world.
“It showed me how much we take for granted every single day, how much help we can get, and how much help we can be to other people as well,” she said.
Her experience also gave her a new perspective on the impact those working in residential settings can have on the children they serve.
“There was one child that had voiced how for staff, it was only eight hours out of your day, but for them, it's their entire day,” Piper recalled. “That really opened my eyes to the importance of people working in residential settings like that. You are, at some point, their happy place.”
The internship also taught Piper how important it is for those helping others to take care of themselves. She acknowledges that working in youth services can be challenging, but keeping the bigger picture in mind and remembering the impact you can have on a child makes the work meaningful.
Piper will graduate in 2027 with her psychology degree and plans to apply to Mount Mercy's Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy (MA-MFT) program, with the goal of becoming a child and family therapist.
As she looks toward that future, she encourages incoming Mustangs to embrace every opportunity to get involved and build connections.
“Go to the Welcome Week activities,” Piper said. “You will get to know a lot of people, and that is how I was able to build connections and make lots of new friends.”
Those connections led Piper to an internship that allowed her to do for children and families what others have done for her: help them see that with the right support, a better outcome is always possible.