2012 recipient of the Audrey J. Harris Summer Internship Award
Interned with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Division of Community Corrections
Majors: Legal Studies and Psychology
Goals: Success
The Division of Community Corrections is a part of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections that supervises probation and parolees around the state and aids in their transition to being productive members of society. At the Point of Release office in Madison, where I interned, we serve those clients in their first three to six months after being released from prison. Along with supervising them, we help the clients find halfway houses, drug and alcohol abuse centers, job opportunities and food availability around the Madison area.
Working with such a unique group of clients has been tremendously challenging, but also extremely rewarding. One of my main goals in pursuing the Criminal Justice Certificate was to figure out if this was an area of law I wanted to study in law school. And, through my internship, I have come a long way in developing my future plans. What I did not expect, however, was how much the internship would teach me about myself. From simply learning how to deal with the underprivileged, to those with everything to lose, I have grown both individually and as a member of society. I look forward to taking the lessons I have learned and using my newfound knowledge to improve the life of others and myself. From the bottom of my heart, I thank those who made the Audrey J. Harris Summer Internship Award possible. The financial burden it has taken off of me cannot be understated and I look forward to making those responsible proud.