 DECEMBER 5 • 2019 | 49

for college students by college students
 December 5, 2019/7 Kislev 5780

L

ast summer, as part of 
the Jeanette and Oscar 
Cook JOIN program, 
I interned at JARC. The first 
day I walked into the JARC 
office, I immediately felt wel-
comed and knew I would have 
a great summer. JARC gave 
me the chance to grow and 
build meaningful relationships 
in and out of the office. 
The JOIN program, run 
through JVS Human Services, 
provides the opportunity for 
college students to participate 
in meaningful work experi-
ence over the summer at var-
ious Detroit Jewish agencies. 
All interns are paid during 
their internships.
The team at JARC and their 
belief in me helped me gain 
confidence and learn what it 
takes to be successful in an 
office setting. I learned about 
being a team player, an orga-
nizer and a more assertive 
worker. The task of building 
a robust volunteer database 
was a big part of my job. I also 
kickstarted the creation of an 
updated volunteer handbook. 
The skills I learned in the 
JARC office provided me an 
excellent foundation for my 
future in the workforce. 
As well as working in the 
office, my internship included 
interacting with many of the 
people JARC serves. I planned 
and attended JARC barbeques, 
Shabbat dinners and volunteer 
programs. One of my favorite 
events I helped plan was the 
JOIN barbeque. My friends, 
also part of the JOIN program, 
came to one of the JARC 
homes and got to meet many 
of the amazing people JARC 

serves. We played Bingo, ate 
dinner, danced and sang. 
Each week I went to JARC’
s 
Triple R program at the Pitt 
home. Triple R stands for 
relationships, relaxation and 
recreation. This smaller group 
setting allowed me to connect 
deeply with people who JARC 
serves. When we went on 
outings, I was able to converse 
one-on-one with individuals. I 
asked about their interests and 
they reciprocated. My time at 
Triple R made my internship 
meaningful and aided my 
decision for my future career. 
The people JARC serves wel-
comed me so warmly, accepted 
me unconditionally and deep-
ened my sense of inclusion. 
The participants of Triple R 
were as excited to see me each 
week as I was to see them. I felt 
as though I gained their trust 
and made them feel loved as 
they did for me. 
I could not have been 
placed at a better Jewish 
agency. My summer at JARC 
enhanced my communication 
skills, overall confidence and 
office etiquette. The time I 
spent with the people who 
JARC serves showed me what 
an amazing organization 
JARC is and how incredible 
the people JARC serves are. 
They all were role models to 
me. @
 
Grace Sherbin of Birmingham is a 
student at the University of Michigan. 
Interested in being a JOIN paid intern 
for summer 2020? Applications are 
being accepted Dec. 1 through Jan. 
31, 2020. All are paid internships. For 
details, contact Natalie DuBois, ndu-
bois@jvshumanservices.org or (248) 
233-4231 at JVS Human Services.

COURTESY JARC

JOIN 
Internships

Interning at JARC last summer was a 
meaningful learning experience.

Last summer, Grace Sherbin was a JOIN intern at JARC, 
where she interacted with new friends like Julie.

Grace Sherbin } jewish@edu writer

