Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to begin my work as an intern for the EJP in both the director’s office and the events coordination team. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with an organization that represents my values and goals for the future. Looking back at the application process, there were several reasons why the EJP stood out to me. As an undergrad studying political science and psychology, I am extremely interested in the prison system and the effect that it can have on people. I hope to become a criminal lawyer in the future, so seeing how prison and rehabilitation works first hand made this internship extremely enticing for me. I also wanted to join this organization to get more professional experience in things like writing, research, and communicating with others. Ever since beginning my internship, I have gained all of these experiences and more.
Being a part of this organization has only fueled my passion for restorative justice and pushed me to think about how I can use my privilege to help people gain vital resources for their futures. I have gained connections with people who are just as passionate about social justice as I am and who have encouraged me to pursue areas of the organization that interest me most. It is so rewarding to hear from and work with people who love the work they do, and it has pushed me to work harder and strive for more in all of the tasks I do. I love working in an environment that not only reflects my own values, but that helps me translate these values into a physical impact.
Although I was familiar with EJP’s mission and how it operates through Danville Correctional Center, I wasn’t quite sure how I would have an impact on the organization. Honestly, I was scared that I wasn’t qualified enough to do anything meaningful in the organization and that I would have a hard time adjusting to the type of work given to me. However, none of this could have been further from the truth. The EJP staff have made me feel like I am doing something meaningful with my time and have guided me in how to accomplish tasks vital to EJP’s mission. I also had concerns that I would struggle to balance the tasks I needed to accomplish with the EJP with all of the other RSOs that I am involved in on campus. Classes can get extremely busy and RSOs have been meeting more frequently since the beginning of the semester. In reality, the EJP staff have been incredibly flexible and accommodating to the schedules of the interns. They acknowledge that we are college students that have a million things going on at once, and always prioritize our needs above everything else. It is always nerve wrecking to start a new position, especially one that you worked so hard to achieve, but this team has done everything to make sure we are comfortable and participating to the best of our abilities.
Although this internship does require putting in time and effort, it never feels like a chore. Through my assignments I have gotten to meet new people on campus and talk about the mission of an organization I am passionate about. Moreover, planning and executing events that are meaningful for members of the EJP and broader community has been extremely rewarding. I feel like I have a community here at the office who are all excited to see what we have coming next. I have also gotten to see the more organizational side of what it takes to run such a broad and impactful organization, which has made me more interested in management and event coordination.
As I look forward to the rest of the school year, I can’t wait to see how much I will grow through this internship. I am excited to attend author talks and learn about the experiences of other interns working in different areas of the EJP, and I’m even more excited to get more involved myself. Working in this office has been nothing but rewarding, and I expect much more to come!
