My name is Rachael Albert, and I am a rising senior working towards a B.A. in Psychology. This summer, I interned at an agency called JEVS Human Services, a non-profit organization that offers a wide range of services to people seeking help. JEVS offers many different opportunities for people to get involved with the services they offer. One of the ways for rising Jewish juniors and seniors to get involved is through the Franklin C. Ash Internship Program.
The Ash Internship Program consists of one day per week with other Ash interns in Center City, Philadelphia, at the JEVS office, and four days per week at a placement site. JEVS matches students with a Jewish agency; however, an interview with the agency is also needed to make sure it is a right fit for both parties. JEVS tries to place students in an agency related to their major. For example, my placement was with the Abramson Center for Jewish Life, which is a home for senior citizens that gives them the care that they need. As a Psychology major, it has been beneficial for me to meet one on one with the residents.
While on-site at JEVS, I was able to meet other Jewish Ash interns and participate in a variety of activities. One helpful activity we participated in was mock interviews with people around the JEVS office, which helped us prepare for interviews that we may have in the future.
Another program paired Ash interns with high school seniors participating in a mentor program called Lasko, which lasts for a period of six weeks. In preparation for meeting the students we were to mentor, we completed a Lasko Mentoring Workshop and the mentor program. We participated in many group activities with our mentees, such as bowling and Israeli dancing, and we were able to spend time outside of the program to get to know them better. As part of the mentor program, the Ash interns and Lasko students also complete a Mitzvah Project together. For our Mitzvah Project, my mentee and I went to an assigned home at the Rhawnhurst Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, where we assisted with household tasks that were difficult for the residents to perform due to physical disabilities. In addition to helping with various household chores, we also sat and ate lunch with residents while talking and getting to know them better.
Overall, my JEVS Ash internship has been extremely rewarding. I have had positive experiences through the various JEVS activities and at my internship site at the Abramson Center for Jewish Life. I would recommend pursuing this internship to any Jewish student interested in working for a non-profit agency dedicated to improving the lives of others and gaining skills about future job searches.