Goodbye Textbooks, Hello Real World!

Ever since I can remember I have been interested in politics, which is why I chose to pursue a degree in Political Science in college.  Most of the political science classes I took during my four years at college covered political/economic theory, international conflicts, court cases, federal government policies, or elections. I loved learning about all of those things but I never had the opportunity to really learn about my state or local government, or how those theories, policies, and court cases really affected individuals today.  My studies were just that—studies, I was not ‘in the thick of it’ or ‘on the ground.’  What I love so far about this internship is that it offers me so many opportunities to observe and learn about things that I never got to experience in class by getting out there and talking to the individuals whose lives are actually affected by the policies that are just a discussion for so many academics and politicians.  

There have been a few times throughout my life when I have been in a situation in which I am surrounded by a group of other people who care about politics as much as I do and Action Camp was one of these times. It was so refreshing to be surrounded by a group of people who all deeply care about women’s health and reproductive rights, who are empowered, and believe they can make a difference. We all talked openly about issues that other people would shy away from such as sex, contraception, and abortion. We also learned from the experts about how to engage others in these conversations and how to share our own stories about why we’re involved with Planned Parenthood and why we care about these issues.  After we had all thoroughly bonded with each other and put on matching t-shirts, we went out for our first canvass in Allentown (which is conveniently my hometown) during which we talked to people about the services available to them at their local health center and how they could get more involved with the organization. 

Now I have started working in the Allentown Health Center where I will be engaging patients, building relationships with organizations in the community, and planning a few more canvasses.  Although the summer has only just begun, I can tell that I am going to walk away from this internship having met some amazing women, and will have learned so many things that I could never learn by sitting in class. 

-Elizabeth S., Intern at the Allentown Health Center