Medina 1

BrittanyMedina

AndrewMiller

EXPL390

17April2017

FinalReflectionSocialJusticeInternship

ItfeelsunrealthatthisismylastreflectionaboutmyexperienceasaSocialJustice

Intern.IhavelearnedsomuchfromthisprogramandthepeopleIhavemetalongtheway;Iam

notreadyforittobeoverwith.EverydaywasdifferentandIhavesomanymemoriestolook

backonandbethankfulfor.Throughthisreflection,Ihopetoshowwhatmyexperiencewasas

aninternatMisericordia,includingboththegoodandbadaspects.Also,Ihopetoshowhowthe

classroomexperienceguidedmethrougheverythingthatIwaslearningatmyorganization.

IstartedmyinternshipatMisericordiainRecreationandLeisure.Thiswasexciting,but

alsoscarybecauseIhadneverbeeninthisdepartmentbefore.Priortothisinternship,I

volunteeredintheFitnessdepartmentforayearandwasverycomfortablewithboththepeople

andtheworkIwasdoing.Thisdepartmentwasputtingmeoutsideofmycomfortzone.Iwas

placedsomewherewhereIknewnooneanddidnotreallyknowthetypeofworkIwouldbe

doing.IhadmanydifferentroleswhileIwasinRecreationandLeisure.SomeoftheactivitiesI

supervisedincludedhandbells,painting,SpecialOlympics,andmusic.Althoughnoneofthese

activitieswerehard,itwasstillverynewtome.Ihadtheopportunitytoworkalongsideanother

staffmembertolearnhowtheywouldruntheprogramswewereputtingonfortheresidents.In

thisdepartment,Igainedmanylearningexperiences,butalsoobservedsomethingsthatIwishI

couldhavechanged.
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StartinginRecreationandLeisureallowedmetogainconfidenceintheworkthatIwas

doingatMisericordia.Ithinkthisdepartmentgavemeanampleamountofopportunitiesto

interactwithresidentsoneononeandtoseehowtheyrespondtodifferentthings.Itwasonlya

fewweeksofbeingatthesedifferentprogramsthatIstartedrecognizingindividualslittlequirks

andnames.ThisallowedmetobuildtrustwithresidentsbecausetheystartedtoknowwhoIwas

aswell.Afterbeingthereweekafterweek,IrealizedthatIdidnotneedguidancefromErik,my

mentor,tohelpmeinteractwithresidentswhilewewereatcertainprograms.AnotherthingI

learnedwasthataskingquestionsisneverabadthingespeciallyinuncomfortablesituations.

ErikandIhadalotoftimetotalkaboutdifferentinteractionsIhadthroughoutoursessions.He

wouldgivemepointersonhowtohandlethemdifferentlyorapproachthesituationinanother

way.Ialsorealizedthatsmallprojectsandtasksmaynotbeveryexciting,butdoingalittleextra

workissuperhelpfultopeoplethatdonothavetimeforit.ThereweremultipletimesthatI

sortedyarninthebasementorpickedtapeoffthebasketballcourt.Thesesoundsilly,butthey

weretasksthatneededtobedoneandhelpedotherssotheywouldnothavetotaketimeouttheir

daystodothem.

AdifficultyIhadinthisdepartmentwasnothavingalotofindependence.Formostof

theactivitiesandprogramswehad,Iwaspairedupwithanotherstaffmemberthatledthegroup.

Aftermonthsofbeingtheshadowofanotherindividual,Ididnotreallyknowmyplaceinthe

departmentandfeltlikeIwasjusttheintern.Ithinkthisbroughtmedownandstartedmaking

menotwanttogotomyinternshipattimes.Fromthisproblemthough,IlearnedthatifIwanted

moreworkIcouldhaveaskedforit.Ishouldhavetakentheinitiativetoaskformore

responsibilityandindependenceinthedepartment.Theworstthatcouldhavehappenedisthat
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theywouldhavetoldmeno.IthinkifIwouldhavedonethis,mytimeinRecreationandLeisure

wouldhavebeenmoreenjoyable.ThisreallychangedthewayIlookedatmyinternshipfora

whileandmademenotlookforwardtotheworkIwasdoing.AnotherproblemIencounteredin

thisdepartmentwasthetimingoftheprogramswithmyschedule.Althoughthisissomething

thatnoonehadcontrolover,itmadethetimetherealittlemoredifficult.IwishIwouldhave

hadmoretimetogolaterinthedaysoIhadmoreopportunitiestoparticipateinprogramming

throughRecreationandLeisure.BecauseIwasonlyavailableforafewhoursintheafternoon,I

satintheofficealotoftimeandonlywenttooneprogramwithErikratherthanmultipleata

time.IfIcouldgoback,IwouldchangethatmindsetIhadandwouldhavebeenmoreflexible

withmyschedule.Again,IwishIwouldhaveaskedformoreprojectstododuringmytimein

thatdepartment.

AftertheFallsemester,Iwentbacktothefitnessarea.Itwasnicetogobacktoanarea

whereIknewthepeopleandthewaythingsworked.Myprimeresponsibilitywastorunthe

fitnessroomforresidents.Iwouldstarttreadmills,helpthemwiththeirhomeexerciseprograms,

andassisttheminweightlifting.IwasthesupervisorofthefitnessroomwhileIwasthereand

hadvolunteerstoassistmethroughouttheday.Itwasnicetohaveextrahandswhentherewerea

lotofresidentsinthefitnessroomatonce.Manyofthevolunteerscameeveryweekbecause

theyenjoyedworkingwiththeresidentssomuch.Ialsocollaboratedwiththelifeguardsto

ensuretheydidnotneedhelpandassistedwhereIcould.Ontheweekends,wehadmorestaffon

dutyandhadmorenonambulatoryresidentsthatcametofitness.Manyoftheresidentsthat

cameduringtheweekwereveryindependentanddidnotneedalotofassistanceintheir

workoutroutines.IthinkbeinginRecreationandLeisurefirstallowedmetofeelcomfortable
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beingsuperindependentinthisdepartment.Also,IthinkIneededarolethatgavememore

responsibilitysoIcouldseehowIfitintothisorganizationandwhatmyrolereallywas.

JustlikeinrecreationandleisureIhadprosandconstomyposition.Oneofthenice

thingsaboutthispositionincludedhavingmoreindependence.Byhavingmoreindependence

andresponsibilityinfitness,Ihavegrownasanindividualandhavegainedevenmore

confidencethanbefore.Additionally,IfinallyhavejustificationthatIamintherightfieldand

wanttoworkwithindividualsthathavedisabilities.Anotherprotoworkinginthisdepartmentis

thatIknewhowalotofthingsworkedalreadybecauseIvolunteeredtheretheyearbefore.I

knewhowthesupervisorinteractedwithpeopleandwhatsheexpectedofus.Ialreadyhada

groupofindividualsthatIknewandcouldgotoifIhadquestionsratherthanhavingtobuild

thoserelationships.Also,Ihadbetterrelationshipswithpeopleinthefitnessareabecausethey

sawmeforlongerperiodsoftimethroughouttheweek.IthelpedthatIwasthepersontheywent

toforhelpwhentheyhadaproblem.Inthisarea,Ilearnedalotmoreabouttheseindividualsand

theircapabilitiesaswell.WehadmoretechniquesputintoplacethatIcouldusewithresidents

tohelpbettertheirexperienceaswellasmine.

SomeofthethingsIstruggledwithinthisdepartmentwerethingsthatIdidnotreally

havecontrolover.Oneofthethingsthatreallystuckouttomewasthewaythateveryonewas

stuckintheirways.Noonewaswillingtotrynewthingsandseeifothertechniquesworked

betterinthedepartment.Thedepartmenthiredanewfitnesstrainerwhohastriedmultipletimes

totrytoimplementnewthingstobettertheprogramandthedepartmentitself.Unfortunately,I

havecontinuouslywatchedalotofthoseideasbeputdownbecausetheydonotfitintotheplan

thatthesupervisorhasforthedepartment.Thefitnessareastillusespaperchartsandbindersfor
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everythingtheydo.Itriedtohelpimplementanewelectronicversionintothedepartment,butit

wasnotapprovedbecauseofHIPAAlaws.ThiswasasetbackformyexperiencebecauseIhad

workedonthisprojectforweeksjustsoitcouldbedeclinedandreversedbacktoitsoldways.I

donotknowiftherewasanythingelseIcouldhavedonetobetterthisproblembecausethe

papersystemworks,itisjustnotideal.AnotherthingIstruggledwithinthisdepartmentwasthe

powerdynamicbetweenalotofthestaffmembers.Itwasveryclearwhowasinchargeand

madethedecisionsaroundtheoffice.Therewasalotofgossipaboutindividualsandthatwould

justbringmedown.Mostofthetimethegossipwasaboutthingsthattheydidnotlikeabout

anotherindividual,butwouldneveraddressthesituationdirectlywiththeperson.Ineverknew

howtodirectthissituationbecauseIwasnotafulltimeemployeeanddidnotfeellikethiswas

myplaceasanintern.ItwasevenharderbecausemysupervisorwaspartoftheproblemsoI

couldnotgotoherforadvice.Ithinkitcouldhavebetteredmyexperienceinthisdepartmentif

thisdidnottakeplace.

Overall,Igotplacedinawonderfulorganizationthatisdoinggoodfortheindividuals

thattheyserve.Itisamazinghowmanyfamilymembersandcommunitymembersareinvolved

toensurethatthesepeoplearelivingthebestqualitylifethattheycan.Peoplevolunteertheir

timeineverydepartmentandstayforalongtimetobuildqualityrelationshipswithresidents.I

havelearnedalotfromthisorganizationwhichhasgivenmetheconfidencetoapplytoother

organizationsthatserveasimilarpopulation.Misericordiawillalwayshaveaspecialplaceinmy

heartbecauseitistheorganizationthathelpedmefigureoutwhatIwanttodowithmylife.I

lovedinteractingwithresidentseverysingleday.Ithinkthisinternshiphasreallymademe

realizethatIloveprovidingdirectservice,butnotinanarealikerecreationandleisureorfitness.
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IhavefoundthatIenjoymoreofthebehavioralsideofindividualsandlikeunderstandingwhy

residentsarereactingtocertainsituationsinthewaysthattheydo.Ithinkthisorganizationhas

providedmethesteppingstonestobiggeropportunitiesthatIcouldseemyselfdoingfortherest

ofmylife.IsawthingsthatIenjoyedabouttheorganization,butIalsosawthingsthatIdidnot.

Forexample,SisterRosemaryisanincredibleladyforcreatinganorganizationlikeMisericordia

allbyherself.Sheisstilltheindividualthatmakesthebigdecisionsintheorganizationeven

thoughshehasaboardofindividualstohelpher.Sheisgettingolderthoughanddoesnotlike

changewithintheorganization.Ibelievethatalotofthingsarerunthesamewaytheywere

whentheorganizationopenedyearsago.Ithinkthisalsoexposedmetothewaynonprofitslike

Misericordiaoftenstruggletogetthefundstokeeptheirprogramsgoing.Alotoftheirresources

comefromdonationsandfamiliesthathavechildrenlivingonthecampus.Withoutthem,the

organizationprobablywouldnotbeabletogrowandbeabletoprovideformoreindividualsas

theyearsgoon.Also,Ihaveseenhowmanyindividualsneedservicesfortheirchildrenandhow

muchourcityandcountryarelacking.Ibelievethatindividualsmindsetsarechangingabout

peoplewithdisabilities,buttherearestillnotenoughresourcesandplacesforthemtostay.The

waitlistatMisericordiaisamilelongandtakesyearstogetinto.

TheSocialJusticeProgramitselfwassuchagreatexperienceandledmebacktothis

organization.Ithinkmeetingthefullyearhelpedusconnectasacohortandallowedustokeep

uptodateoneveryonesinternshipsites.Ithinkthereflectioncomponentthattheclasswas

revolvedaroundwasmosthelpfulwhenworkingonassignmentsanddiscussionsinclass.Some

oftheissuesandtopicswediscussedinclasswerethingsthatIneverhadreallythoughtabout

untilIwasinaclassroomfullofpeoplethatknewalotaboutthesethings.Forexample,when
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wediscussedprivilegeandoppression,theseweretopicsthatIwasawareof,butnevertooktime

outofmydaytoreflectonortrytoidentifyinmyeverydaylife.Ilearnedalotfromtheother

peopleinclassandtheirexperienceswiththeinjusticeswediscussedduringclass.Ididnot

knowhowmisinformedaboutcertaintopicsIwasuntilIstartedthisclass.IthinkIhavenow

gainedtheconfidencetoresearchsomeofthetopicsthatIdonotfeelcomfortableabout,butalso

tohavediscussionswithpeoplethatmaybelessinformed.

Someofthegoalsforthisprogramweretodevelopacontextforunderstandingvarious

topicslikeleadershiptheory,assetbasedcommunitydevelopment,andcivicengagement

throughaworkexperience.Ithinkwedidthesethingsandmorewiththeprojectsand

assignmentswehadthroughoutthesemester.ThereweremultipletimesthatIwouldleaveclass

andthinkaboutallthethingswehaddiscussedthroughoutourtimetogether.Everythingwasso

applicabletotherealworldandeventsthatweseehappenonadaytodaybasis.Ialsoenjoyed

thementorshipcomponentofthisprogram.Itwasnicetohaveagroupchatwitheveryonein

classthatIcouldgotoifIhadaquestionorneededpeopletoventtoaboutmyinternship.Itwas

alsoveryhelpfulhavinganinstructorthatwaswillingtomeetanddiscusssomeoftheissueswe

werehavingasinterns.Althoughsomeofthereadingsandassignmentstookawhile,Ithink

afterthefactIappreciatedwhattheystoodfor.Theygavemetheopportunitytoreflectonmy

actionsasaleaderatmysiteandinmydailylifeaswell.Ihavegainedmanyskillsforthefuture

andhavebuiltupanetworkofindividualsthatIcanuseforfuturereferences.Havingthe

opportunitytopresentattheWeekendofExcellencewassuchaneatexperiencetoendthis

program.IlovedtalkingaboutmyresidentstopeopleandtheexperiencethatIhadthroughthis

program.
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IamsadthatinafewmoredaysImustsaygoodbyetomyresidents.Ithasbeen

somethingthatIhavebeendreadingfortheselastfewmonths.AsmuchasIamexcitedforthe

newexperiencesthatIhavelinedup,Istilldonotwanttoleavethewonderfulresidentsat

Misericordia.Iamthankfulformyopportunitytobeapartofthisprogramandtomeetpeople

thatIprobablywouldhavenevermetwithoutthisprogram.Ihavebecomemoreconfidentin

myselfandmyleadershipskillsandIamgladthatthisprogramhasmadememoresocially

awareofissuesgoingoninoursociety.ThisissomethingthatIwillalwaysrememberaboutmy

collegecareer.