Although it sometimes feels like our time here has just begun, our intern year at Sojourners is already almost halfway finished.
Applications for next year's program are due March 1, and if you or anyone you know is on the bubble in regard to applying, here are a few thoughts from this year's interns as to why you should apply.
“The intern program has broadened my view of the Christian world. I haven’t experienced anything as stretching as spending a year with people from different backgrounds, discussing and working on some of the most pressing issues of our times. This has enriched my faith and brought me closer in my relationship with God.”
– Joey
“In the months after applying to be part of the Sojourners’ internship program, it was very clear that moving to D.C. was all part of God’s plan for my next steps after college. Since accepting the position as mobilizing assistant at Sojourners, I have grown academically, professionally, and spiritually. I am surrounded daily by knowledgeable individuals who understand where social change needs to occur in order to better our society. I have been given the leadership and the responsibility to plan, organize, and create opportunities for others to put their faith into action. Lastly, every day at work I am surrounded by Godly people who speak truth to what it means to serve God, be the Church, and make this world a more just place.”
– Jess
“My time with Sojourners has been undeniably valuable. When I step into the office, I’m able to use and explore my passions for writing and editing in a meaningful way, nurtured by a wonderful balance of participation and observation. And when I step out of the office, I’m surrounded by a house that is unafraid to ask big questions and engage in meaningful dialogue. Holding both of these settings is a city that has provided endless opportunities for fun, networking, and exploration. The year is one of “growing pains,” yes, but I know my personal and professional self is a better one because of my commitment here.”
– Becca
“The Sojourners internship year has given me the chance to interact with a consistent community on a daily basis and has taught me about sharing household care responsibilities, respecting people’s preferences and differences, and learning to honor other people’s practical needs. Sojourners gives interns the access to a community of staff, board members, faith leaders, and writers whose widely different experiences in the world of faith and social justice advocacy provide myriad learning opportunities.
Whether you have an interest in writing, mobilizing church members around social problems close to your heart, influencing government policies for the benefit of the disadvantaged, or learning how a non-profit manages its money and builds relationships, you will find opportunities at Sojourners. The program gives me freedom and support to explore my own questions. It is an environment that welcomes questions.”
– Danny
"It’s hard to isolate a single aspect of my internship as “the best part”, but one thing I deeply appreciate about my experience thus far is the opportunity to live with the other interns of Cycle 30. More specifically, I am grateful for the chance to grow in my individuality.
In most of the communities of which I’ve been a part, though I love and feel loved by these communities, I learned to hide certain nuances of my personality and upbringing that I thought would threaten the cohesiveness of the group. But living in community with my fellow interns at Sojourners is teaching me something new. They are teaching me to value the uniqueness of each individual. They are showing me that differences ought not to be avoided, nor commonalities discounted, and that each person is worth listening and responding to simply because each person bears the image of God.
Immersed in the politically engaged, intellect-driven, and passion-infused atmosphere of Sojourners, I find that it is all the more important to sink roots into a community that celebrates diversity and honors individuality, both at the same time. And isn’t this where reconciliation begins?"
– Sophia
"Sojourners is a place where my deep faith in Christ is taken seriously. It's a place where I can merge my personal faith with clear actions that impact people outside of myself. In working for sojo.net, I'm connected to people, literally across the globe, who love God and whose mission it is to bring the reign of God to earth."
– Ben
For more information on the Intern Program, check out our info page and apply today!
Photo: Brandon Hook / Sojourners
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