In organizations around Addison County, as well as locations around the country (Austin, TX; Shamokin, PA; New York City; Greensboro, NC; Baltimore, MD; Washington, DC), Middlebury students have begun their work in their summer P&P internships, which serve as a qualifying experiential learning opportunity for completion of the P&P Academic Cluster.

Following a series of pre-service workshops ranging from bias response training and an introduction to trauma-informed practice, to authentic community participation, fifteen students are working in a wide variety of community organizations to address the impacts of poverty in their regions.

Students with national placements (in partnership with the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty) attended an Opening Conference at Marymount University in Arlington, VA where they met their location cohorts and participated in programming to orient them to the work ahead. Middlebury’s own Director of Education for Equity and Inclusion, Renee Wells, led one of the sessions for the Consortium. They departed the conference on Saturday for their destinations, together with students from 25 other colleges and universities who participate in the national program.

The eight P&P local interns, joined by Foodworks intern Isabel Lubitz, meet weekly with the P&P academic and internship directors for discussion and reflection on their experiences. They are working in placements with John Graham Housing & Service, Charter House, HOPE, WomenSafe, the Open Door Clinic and Mary Johnson Children’s Center’s Rural Fun Delivery program.

Over the coming months, we will be sharing stories from our intern cohort and the work they are undertaking with the incredible community partner organizations they are placed with. Stay tuned!