UofL Intern Helps The Community

UofL Intern Helps The Community

By Stuart Esrock, Ph.D. 

A UofL graduate is continuing her internship experience with a local non-profit before entering a graduate school program.  Heba Aljumaily from Louisville graduated with a B.S. in Psychology last May, but has continued working with the UofL Resilient Families Project since graduation. 

Heba Aljumaily 

The Resilient Families Project (RFP) works to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness as well as women in drug and alcohol recovery programs.  Aljumaily interned with RFP through a Psychology course taught by program director Dr. Lora Haynes. 

Due to the pandemic, she was initially involved in remote program planning and development and then later was able to serve as a lead in RFP's Adult Program. Aljumaily also traveled throughout the city to help our community’s needy.  “I helped conduct a ‘Homeless Shelter Experience’ survey among homeless individuals in the streets of Louisville through RFP. I loved the opportunity to serve the most vulnerable in the city. It's been a joy to lead and interact with the women of the program, and most importantly provide support and friendship at this point in their recovery journey.”

Beyond providing an important service to the community, Aljumaily benefitted personally from her internship experience. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in RFP because it has given me a sense of clarity to what I'd like to do regarding my career path. It's reassured me that I enjoy the field of psychology and I do want to enter a profession where I can help people.” 

And so Aljumaily has applied to various graduate programs, including UofL's M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Through her experience, Heba Aljumaily has become a big proponent of internships.  “I absolutely think every student should do internships or volunteer within their major or career field! This is an experience that every student should take advantage of to gain exposure to the real-world and see where their interest lies.” 

If you are interested in the Resilient Families Project, contact Professor Lora Haynes (lora.haynes@louisville.edu). More general information about internships can be found on the University Career Center website. If you are interested in an internship during the upcoming spring or summer semesters, be sure to talk now with your program’s internship coordinator in advance since you may be eligible for academic credit and you can also potentially get assistance in seeking a position. Finally, if you want to look at some current internship position listings/opportunities, log onto Handshake.