Ohio State University student Aydan Shepard, of Medina, interned with the Reeb Avenue Center this past summer. Double-majoring in Sociology and Political Science, Aydan became interested with the Reeb Center after a lecture by his sociology instructor Dr. Terrance Hinton.
“The Reeb Center has always been near and dear to my heart due to the amazing work that is done there,” Dr. Hinton said, “I love connecting my sociology and criminal justice students there, as I know they have much to offer to the overall mission of the Reeb Center.”
The experience defied expectations for Aydan. “I knew I would be making a positive contribution to the South Side community, but my actual experience was so much more than that…I felt like I was starting to know the community better.”
Over the course of the summer, Aydan worked in a variety of roles from the frontlines to the back office. After expressing an interest in grant writing, with the help of Reeb Center staff, Aydan wrote and won more than $20,000 in new grant funding for the agency.
Aydan added the internship experience offered him the context to analyze and apply what he has learned in the classroom.
Dr. Hinton noted, “Aydan is an excellent student and I knew he would thrive in this experiential learning environment.”
After just two months, Aydan feels he may have found his post-graduation plans.
“This experience has made me realize that I enjoy grant writing,” Aydan reflected, “I learned that it is something I can work on for extended periods of time and it brings me joy…so I can see myself doing it as a career.”
When asked if he had any final thoughts, Aydan concluded with the following:
“An internship is so beneficial for a student’s growth. You can learn a lot from reading books and attending lectures, but the real life experience is invaluable. Not only do internships look good on resumes, but they also allow you to learn a lot about yourself. They enable you to explore your likes and dislikes and see where you want to take your career after graduation. I am much more ready for graduation and life after college because of this internship experience.”