I initially started to pursue an internship last spring and obtained an internship with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. My experience with them was awesome, and I wanted to do another one. I began looking around the middle of summer and applied to a few different places in the Reading area. I updated my resume and drafted a cover letter before having my coach read over it and make the changes he saw necessary. After I got the interview, I began preparing by learning more about the company and by reading over the mock interview packet that the Career Center supplied. The application process was that I needed to provide my resume and cover letter. Next, they did a round of interviews, and then they hired one person. The interview consisted of meeting with three workers from the purchasing department, and they asked a lot of behavioral questions. The thing that I am most looking forward to is learning about supply chain management and how it is a critical part to a manufacturing company. It is a completely different experience than my Merrill Lynch internship because Merrill was a financial services company while Carpenter Technology is a manufacturing company. The thing I am most nervous about is the workload I am going to have balancing the internship, school, and basketball. I am looking forward to learning a lot during my time with Carpenter.
My overall experience after completing my internship was one of the best I have ever had. Although I did not have as much field experience as the parole officers do, I still enjoyed being in the offices. Being in the office allowed me to experience multiple positions such as working in the training unit, seeing and doing some of the things juvenile probation officers do. Also, I had the chance to help with the sheriff’s desk. I believe that I have experienced most if not all of the positions inside of the family court, expect for being a judge (I need a few more years of schooling). Although I was not paid for my time there, I could never put a price tag on the amount of experience and knowledge that I have gained this summer.
Over the course of the summer I was asked many questions about my next step in life. Some of those questions were did I want to be a probation officer? Do I know what I want to do? I always answered them honestly and said “I’m not sure. I’m just going with the flow and staying open minded”. That is very true because since I choose to do my internship earlier than most, I’m still unsure about where my path will take me. I do however want to experience being a juvenile probation officer and having the chance to help families, but I am also very open to trying new things within the criminal justice system. Also I never expected to even try the juvenile probation sector since I was determined to be a juvenile lawyer, but when I took a step back I saw that I was limiting myself and when I stopped I saw there were many opportunities for me to try and pursue.
A quote by John Maxwell summarizes my experience over the summer the best. “Growth demands a temporary surrender of security. It may mean giving up familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work , values no longer believed in, and relationships that have lost their meaning.” This quote shows that it takes one to get out of their comfort zone in order for greater things to come to their way. Had I not chosen to step away from the lawyer side, I most likely would not have even considered to try juvenile probation. This quote should be kept in mind when one is searching for an internship or study abroad program or considering an ACRE because when one limits themselves it stops them from reaching new heights. So never be afraid to step outside of the box. I hope you enjoyed my experiences as much as I have enjoyed sharing them. J
Over the course of my internship I have had the great opportunity to partake in many activities. I have been in several court rooms and also gained a lot of desk work experience. Being here since May, I have truly had many opportunities of talking to many people who have been in the field for decades and they have told me many stories of the types of people they have had interactions with over the years. One of my favorite moments while being here is going to all of the trainings. All though I have only gone to three, they each allowed me to act as a juvenile probation officer by providing me with information about each topic and fully understanding why this information is important to consider when looking at a child’s specific case.
View from my desk
One of the key things I learned while at the family court, which is where the juvenile probation office is, was that it’s ok to be more active in my work. Typically when I do my work, I work independently and quietly. I have learned the importance of talking to everyone has its perks because they often have useful information and are very helpful in all situations. That just makes me even more grateful for the people that I have met and for them showing me new ways of doing things. It is always the lessons that we learn from others that has the greatest impact on our lives that ultimately leads us to do great things. The same could be said for some of the courses I have taken thus far. Like my supervisors, my professors have always given the best advice and tips and sometimes even the professors who were not in the sociology department give great advice as well. The type of advice that I have received has encouraged me to share my advice on internships. The first part is always go after the internship you desire. It may take a lot of work and you may have to call the agency multiple times but it is definitely worth it. Also another key piece of advice is to be patient. Like with everything else in life, the process takes time to get everything in order, but in the end it is truly worth it.
Hello!!
Sooo, I’m about 3 weeks late on this first post but now I finally have consistent internet and time to write this!! Just for those who don’t know, I’m studying at Stellenbosch University in South Africa for this fall semester which is super exciting. I’m taking 3 classes: a South African history class (which is directed to local students), Transitional Justice in Africa (aimed to international students), and finally LSCE which is a service learning program at a local school. These three weeks have been so packed with activities like hiking Cedarburg Mountain and visiting Capetown that it has been really busy and we are just now starting to get into a routine. The thing that surprised me most when we arrived at Stellenbosch was how beautiful it is!! Pinterest can only prepare you so much and it was so much prettier than I was expecting!!
Exhibit A:
At Spier Wine farm
Exhibit B:
Mountain view of Stellenbosch
Exhibit C:
View of the mountains from the market we visited
As I applied to this university with AIFS, I have many special group activities and trips that allow us to explore more of the country that would have been hard to do on our own. These excursions are all interesting and at gorgeous locations. Either hiking, shopping, wine tasting, or eating, it’s always a fun time.
Of course, I have to study too…
I picked certain classes that I knew I would not be able to take back home at Albright. They all provide a unique perspective of South Africa and its history. South Africa has such an interesting and complex history and I still have so much to learn about it. As I’ve been in class almost 2 weeks now, the homework and projects are starting to accumulate aka I need to stop procrastinating and work on them 🙂
Until next time –
Emily R.
My $3 suit from the salvation army.
“Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you will miss them.” Being at my internship has truly opened my eyes to a variety of career options that I did not even know were possible with my major. Many of them have truly interested me to the point that I sometimes do research on certain careers to get an idea of what I want to do. Although I have not quite nailed down exactly what I wanted to do after graduating, I now have a path that I am interested in going down. Since beginning my internship I have gained a new project. It involves making sure that the tops of probation procedures are changed to the new label. I believe that it will give me new computer skills.
Throughout my internship I have confirmed that I am not the trendiest person in the world, I have learned through the Lion Diplomats how to dress professionally on a college budget. You would be surprised at what you can pull from your closet that can be considered professional. The solid colored t-shirts with a nice pair of pants and shoes can be considered a great choice. Or you can always go to a thrift store on their half priced days and find a nice suit for $3.
Also I have toured the Juvenile Justice Center in the past week. I enjoyed it to the fullest. I was able to talk to people who did the intake of the juveniles which involves gathering information about the family and setting a court date. Also at times a juvenile can be placed on a program to help them stay out of trouble. There was a fire drill that day. Although that is not the most interesting thing, it gave me a chance to observe and see how many roles go into running things at the juvenile justice center. Then I was allowed to go see a few cases that were presented to the master (a different type of judge). These court proceedings are not the trials, but are hearings to determine if the child will be held or released to the parent.
In the last few days I had the opportunity to attend Drug Treatment Court. It was different than the court setting that I saw at the juvenile justice center because there was a meeting prior to the child coming in for their case. During that meeting they discussed what the best road was for the child. I liked it. All of the tips on professionalism that I learned throughout the years has truly helped me while I was in court but also during my internship. Some of them were always being on time, if you have questions never be afraid to ask no matter how many times you think you are annoying someone. Also don’t be afraid to ask about things outside of “the box”, you may be surprised at what people will tell you. The most important one, in my opinion, is be kind and courteous to others because those people could be your sunrise and you should want to get as much of their vitamins as you can while they are up.
ALBRIGHT ELCDC 