Hello! My name is Armeen, and I am a student at Loyola University Chicago. This year, I participated in a program called the Social Justice Internship program. I had the opportunity to have a year-long internship at Misericordia, a large residential community for adults with disabilities in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. At Misericordia, I specifically interned at the Personal Effectiveness Program (PEP), a program created to support residents who have significant behavioral challenges.
My experience at PEP allowed me to grow and learn in so many ways. I was able to form friendships with the amazing residents and staff that I will always remember and cherish. I was able to develop my creativity and technological skills as I made various projects for the residents, such as reward boards, social stories, and production activities. By observing the staff as they interacted with the residents and deescalated their behaviors, I was able to learn many different strategies to manage challenging behaviors, which I can use in my future career as a Special Education teacher. These are just a few of the ways that my internship at PEP has tremendously impacted my growth as a person and as a professional.
While the internship experience was the most significant part of being a Social Justice Intern, another important aspect of the program was taking a course with the other interns called EXPL 390. The eight of us (plus our supervisor, Andrew) met once every 2-3 weeks. Each of us reflected on and shared our internship experiences with the rest of the group. We also talked about important topics, such as social justice issues, community development, leadership, privilege, and allyship. Through the course readings and thoughtful group discussions, I learned many life lessons from this class, like how I can be a true ally, a social justice advocate, and a leader in my community.
My experience at PEP allowed me to grow and learn in so many ways. I was able to form friendships with the amazing residents and staff that I will always remember and cherish. I was able to develop my creativity and technological skills as I made various projects for the residents, such as reward boards, social stories, and production activities. By observing the staff as they interacted with the residents and deescalated their behaviors, I was able to learn many different strategies to manage challenging behaviors, which I can use in my future career as a Special Education teacher. These are just a few of the ways that my internship at PEP has tremendously impacted my growth as a person and as a professional.
While the internship experience was the most significant part of being a Social Justice Intern, another important aspect of the program was taking a course with the other interns called EXPL 390. The eight of us (plus our supervisor, Andrew) met once every 2-3 weeks. Each of us reflected on and shared our internship experiences with the rest of the group. We also talked about important topics, such as social justice issues, community development, leadership, privilege, and allyship. Through the course readings and thoughtful group discussions, I learned many life lessons from this class, like how I can be a true ally, a social justice advocate, and a leader in my community.
Please use the navigation menu to look at some photos from my internship at PEP,
as well as the variety of assignments that I completed for EXPL 390. Enjoy!
To learn more about Misericordia, visit the organization's website here.
as well as the variety of assignments that I completed for EXPL 390. Enjoy!
To learn more about Misericordia, visit the organization's website here.