Summer Interns for Walker County

From Left: Emily, Stephanie, Aundrea, Bullet, Mary Caroline and Jeff

 

As the heat index rises, the lightning bugs become aglow, and an abundance of fresh produce returns to our kitchens, it is clear that summer is again upon us.  For the Walker Area Community Foundation, the onset of summer signals the arrival of a new batch of students from The University of Alabama who serve for eight weeks as Jean O’Connor Snyder Interns.  The internship is a partnership between Alabama’s New College, David Mathews Center for Civic Life, and the foundation.  The interns, who spend the summer working for the foundation and various community partners throughout Walker County, immerse themselves in life in the area. Years past have brought interns who discover a passion for service in Walker County, and we hope this year will be no exception.  This summer’s interns have diverse backgrounds and interests, yet their common denominator is each student’s steadfast dedication to service.  We hope that throughout the summer you will have a chance to meet and get to know the interns on a personal level. 

So without ado, here are this year’s interns…

Aundrea Bevis is a fifth year senior pursuing a double major in Psychology and the Sociology of Health. She is passionate about health in regards to its social dynamic and is interested in addressing health disparities in communities due to the class system. She is especially interested in mental health disparities and addiction and recovery. Aundrea is originally from Suffolk, Virginia, but her current hometown is Killen, Alabama. In her free time she likes to cook and run. 

Emily Pickert is a junior at the University of Alabama studying nonprofit management with a concentration in the arts through New College. She loves the arts, especially visual arts, and hopes to one day open and run her own organization dedicated to them. She is incredibly excited to work with Walker County and to learn about and meet many new people.

Jeff Rogers is from Birmingham, Alabama.  He graduated from Mountain Brook High School in 2013 and joined the University of Alabama Class of 2017, majoring in Chemical Engineering. He is passionate about public education and hopes to make an impact in shaping the way we interact with students to make their experience in school more productive and personal.  He enjoys reading, golfing, and listening to music in his spare time.  This summer Jeff will be working with the Walker Area Center for Technology.

 
Stephanie Ray is from Birmingham, Alabama and is currently pursuing a dual degree in Elementary and Special Education at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. She is also studying Nonprofits through New College. She is passionate about Education and Education policy, specifically concerning low-SES and at-risk individuals. Her dream is to establish a mentoring program and facility for foster youth and at-risk youth. This summer, she will be working closely with the Walker Area Community Foundation on connecting nonprofits throughout the area.

Mary Caroline May is a recent graduate of The University of Alabama, where she pursued an interdisciplinary degree in Community Development through New College.  Her admiration and passion for Walker County brought her back to Jasper this summer to serve as intern coordinator after she spent summer 2014 working on the foundation’s Early Childhood Education initiative.  Mary Caroline is passionate about connecting with people and seeing communities and individuals develop and realize their goals.  She plans to attend The University of Alabama School of Law in August.