Internships give students the opportunity to experiment with different career paths, apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations, and gain hands-on experience in a professional environment. Often, internships help students secure a job after college.
See what some of our students have to say about their Peace and Justice Studies internship experiences below:
Emma Gibson, Peace and Social Justice Minor
Position: Legal Mitigation Team Member
Organization: Center for Community Alternatives
Location: Syracuse, NY
"Over the summer I had the opportunity to intern with the Center for Community Alternatives in Syracuse, New York. This experience reaffirmed my ideas of pursuing a career within the realm of social justice, specifically criminal law or social work, within an emphasis on restorative justice, not punitive measures. Over the 4 months, I worked on the legal mitigation team. I went to the justice center and juvenile placement centers for intakes, supported our clients at court, conducted research and assisted in writing reports. The vast amount of information I retained is endless but the overarching element of my experience was understanding our clients are people. People with stories. People with trauma. People with heartache and pain. People just trying to navigate life; like you and I. They are people much more than their accusation. This internship further exemplified why we must fight for the rights of one another in this cruel justice system. The system is set up to suppress a certain demographic and socioeconomic class. We must come out of the sunken place. I am so excited to bring the knowledge gained back to our campus and greater community!"