We have had the pleasure of having Brandi as our Outreach & Education Intern this semester! Get to know her by reading on about her background and experience at Sojourner so far.
What school/program are you in?
I am currently attending the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and am working towards my Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health. I graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2018 with my Bachelors degree in biology and french.
What interested you in interning at Sojourner?
I was interested in interning at Sojourner primarily because of the community and education outreach activities, especially SafeU. When I was in school, I remember having a decent amount of education on topics such as healthy relationships and consent, but I am also aware that this is not the case for all students. I think education about healthy relationships and domestic violence is extremely important to provide to all individuals, but particularly adolescents and young adults.
What background/experience do you bring with you to the role?
My studies in public health have taught me to think about health issues on a larger, systems level scale and on the prevention of health issues. I like to think about all of the factors in various sectors that can have effects on domestic violence, such as medical, political, social, economic and personal factors. It’s ideal to provide the education and skills to prevent domestic violence before it occurs, which is why community outreach and programs such as SafeU are so important.
What have you enjoyed or learned so far at Sojourner? Any particular experiences or stories stand out?
I have very much enjoyed being able to observe and co-facilitate the SafeU program in local schools! I also have really enjoyed being able to view some of the student responses to the SafeU surveys. It is information that every student can benefit from knowing, whether or not they use that information now and/or in the future.
How do you hope to use this experience in the future?
I hope to use this experience in the future as a great starting point for my career. Ultimately, I would like to be able to provide similar school-based educational information to students. This experience at Sojourner has provided me with an ample opportunity to practice domestic violence education and community outreach. I am so thankful to be interning here at Sojourner!