Our UC Merced interns are leaving us!
We had the opportunity to partner with UC Merced's College Corps program again this year. What an opportunity for the students to engage with the community and for the community to learn from the UC interns and teach them something. This 450-hour program is designed for students to have a positive
impact on the community they live in, and wow, did they make an impact!
Our eight interns helped us in so many ways (at LifeLine CDC). They brought new energy and new ideas, became role models for our young people, served our older generation and listened to their stories, and had so many out-of-the-box suggestions. Each brought their own stories, their own experiences, their own dreams and hopes on how to invest in the neighborhood. They played soccer, taught math, created science projects, had deep conversations with our kids, and brought energy to our centers.
What I loved the most was their willingness to engage, to step out of their comfort zones and try new things. They learned from our children, the homeless, adults, and seniors.
Their lives also changed as a result of these interactions. They are more compassionate and less quick to judge. They evaluated their own lives and considered their next steps for the future. They had to grapple with the fact that there are no easy answers to help people out of poverty. They had to witness some of the injustices that befall people, simply because of their current living situation. They had to understand
the stories of people so that they could help them move forward and became gentler in the
process.
Each student brought their gifts, skills, and abilities, and together made a small dent in the pain and suffering some of our community members experience. Every student also brought their own struggles, including finding their identity, dealing with teams, and thinking through their points of view, as they contemplated a future where they would be able to support families and make a living.
I want every person we encounter to know that they, too, possess gifts and abilities, that they can make a difference, regardless of their life story. I am also hopeful for the future; our eight interns are a great example of our future leaders. THANK YOU, UC Merced, for making this happen. Thank you, Abigail, Amira, Cristian, Joylyn, KT, Lilian, Sabrina, and Shadow. Our lives are enriched because of you!