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THE PESA POST

The latest news, views and announcements from

Parents, Educators/Teachers & Students in Action


October 26, 2023

A PEEK INTO A PROFESSION

PESA welcomes its eighth cohort of college interns 

PESA has always been committed to fostering a culture of learning, development, and collaboration, which extends to the participants of the college internship program. The Fall 2023 cohort of 22 interns, hailing from diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines, come from the University of Southern California and California State University, Northridge. 


PESA’s college internship program dives into three main areas – education, law, and advocacy – and emphasizes the intersectionality of one another. Cheyenne Clopton, Co-Director of Internships, shares, “We are trying to demonstrate in our workshops and throughout their time with us how each component overlaps. PESA's work is not centered on only legal or only education, instead, our services often intersect with one another.”  


To do this Clopton states, “While interns are analyzing police summaries or proctoring at Teen Court sessions, they are also assisting in school sites, which gives our college students an understanding of how Teen Court connects with the work we do with communities.”


This college cohort is enhancing their advocacy and mentorship skills by assisting students at PESA-partnered schools. Co-Director of Internships Amanda Flores shares, “Our interns are going directly into our schools by placing them in a geographically close community where they can assist students who are part of after-school programs and clubs related to their interest, thus building mentor roles with them.”  


As part of the program, interns identify policy issues by partnering with attorneys working in the legislative branch, participate in interactive workshops, and receive information from individuals in different phases of law school. These initiatives help interns gain a comprehensive understanding of the legal system while building crucial professional connections before they eventually graduate.


In addition to their professional growth, interns bring new perspectives to PESA which is integral. Flores highlights, “Because there is always room for refinement, each year we aim to improve our program, so we ask our interns what workshops are the most beneficial and use this information to improve each cohort experience."


The college internship program at PESA helps prepare students regardless of their future career endeavors while exposing them to real-life skills and work experience.  


If you’d like to support PESA’s many social and educational initiatives, please contact us.

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