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