Volunteer Spotlight: Summer Interns
Selina Graham, Occupational Therapy Intern
After over a year of being unable to welcome in-person volunteers, Calvary Women’s Services welcomed three college and graduate student interns this summer. These interns brought energy and enthusiasm to our sites and programs.
Eden joined us as part of a program called “CU in DC” with University of Colorado Boulder. She is a journalism student with a double minor in philosophy and political science. Eden has always been interested in the nonprofit world and was excited to intern at Calvary because it covers the intersection of housing and homelessness and gender. One highlight of her time at Calvary was assisting Step Up DC clients with their resumes. Eden described her time at Calvary as “eye-opening and inspiring,” saying, “it is inspiring to see what the women can do with the support available.”
Haleima Yates
Haleima is a student at Trinity Washington University here in Washington, DC. She is majoring in psychology and minoring in criminal justice. Haleima wants to go into a profession related to mental health and believes that we need more women in these fields. While at Calvary, Haleima helped with a little bit of everything, from assisting at the front desk to helping with LEAP classes. Her favorite part of the experience was getting to know the women, saying, “helping with LEAP classes allowed me to see another side of the women. I got to see them open up more and learn more about who they are.”
Selina is a graduate student in Howard University’s Occupational Therapy program. She is currently a second-year student in the master’s program and was recently accepted into the doctoral program. In her time at Calvary, she has focused on helping women with daily life skills, focusing on physical activity, personal health, and financial literacy. One of the highlights of Selina’s time at Calvary has been celebrating with women as they reach their goals and make progress towards the health goals that they have set. “I can see the motivation that women have and would encourage others to get involved and volunteer at Calvary!”
Selina is a graduate student in Howard University’s Occupational Therapy program. She is currently a second-year student in the master’s program and was recently accepted into the doctoral program. In her time at Calvary, she has focused on helping women with daily life skills, focusing on physical activity, personal health, and financial literacy. One of the highlights of Selina’s time at Calvary has been celebrating with women as they reach their goals and make progress towards the health goals that they have set. “I can see the motivation that women have and would encourage others to get involved and volunteer at Calvary!”
As the summer winds down, we are sad to say farewell to these interns but are so grateful for the time that they have spent with Calvary. These interns connected with the women at Calvary across our programs. The women enjoyed getting to know the interns, and the interns learned more about how Calvary’s holistic approach empowers women to change their lives. The interns agreed that their internships at Calvary were not only great opportunities for learning, but also for getting to know the women and gaining a better understanding of their experiences.