As we gear up for summer internships, we asked one of our former interns, Emma, to tell us about her time at World Relief and what it meant to her.
During winter break of my junior year, I was considering summer internship options in Memphis. As a Political Science and International Studies major at Rhodes College, I knew I wanted to expand my cross-cultural experiences. And as a rising senior, I knew I wanted to serve within the Memphis community for my last summer here.
While World Relief allowed me to connect with my studies, it also encouraged an exploration of the spiritual side of non-profit work, which I especially appreciate. In my journey of faith, I’ve always considered my home church in Texas to be my sacred roots. Being far from home for college, I sometimes felt a little stagnant in that journey. However, my home church cultivated a passion for service–faith and service have always walked hand in hand in my book. World Relief provided me an opportunity to grow in my journey of faith, immerse myself in a new side of Memphis, and learn more about the city’s refugee communities.
I worked mainly in the employment office throughout my time, helping with job readiness and computer classes. Although, I often helped with other tasks around the office like transporting clients to and from classes at the Connect Language Center or job interviews, assisting with outreach, and delivering items to clients. Though working in different offices, the four of us interns grew close throughout our Friday discussions on the book When Helping Hurts.
I am immensely grateful for the time we spent learning and growing together, challenging and expanding our understanding of service and faith. Interning with World Relief was the kind of experience I will carry with me wherever I go after graduation; it made such a positive impact on both my faith and my passion for service.
Emma, thank you for serving our families so well during your time with us! Best of luck in your future endeavors as you graduate this semester.
Do you want an internship experience like Emma’s or know someone who is looking? Intern applications for the summer are currently open!