Meet Aubrey Wiest, a rising senior at The Ohio State University majoring in English with a concentration in literature studies. Aubrey is wrapping up her second summer internship with JMF.
What are your current career plans?
I guess the appropriate answer would be a big “I don’t know”. I have a lot of ideas of which career direction I’d like to be heading in, but I’m just unsure as to which path I’d like to take for sure. I’m interested mainly in both the nonprofit sector and in criminal justice. I do know, however, that I’d like to focus my career on helping women in need, especially those that suffer from domestic abuse and sexual assault.
What did you enjoy most about the 2017 5K?
I think just the general feeling of camaraderie and community that you experience with staff and volunteers. It’s amazing to see so many people come together to support a cause that they all care deeply about. Whether that support is shown through tie-dying t-shirts, picking up the morning coffee, or working the finish line, it all comes together into the culmination of something great.
What is your favorite memory of JMF?
I think my favorite memory is also one that felt both very sad and very cathartic at the time that it occurred. My exit interview last year was not something that I was expecting to be life changing or overly emotional. I was fully confident in my ability to walk into Vivian’s office, thank everyone for all the amazing experiences and love that they had given and shown me over the summer, and then head out on my four-hour drive back home to Ohio. I knew that JMF had given me a summer that was life-changing, but it wasn’t until I sat down in the chair across from Vivian and next to Allison [Boyll], who had been my supervisor for the summer, that the full weight and impact of what had been given to me really hit home. I just remember crying (and apologizing for crying) and thanking them over and over again for making me a better, and a braver, and a more compassionate person. It was the moment where all my favorite moments and my favorite experiences from the summer culminated together in a way that was fully comprehensible to me. There was a lot of crying and a lot of sadness but I know that those twenty minutes will always be one of the most impactful memories that I have of my time at JMF.
Why did you decide to apply to be an intern?
Long, albeit fun, story about meeting Vivian, but I chose to intern at JMF because I could see that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the nonprofit field. I have for years been interested in pursuing a nonprofit career, but before my internship last summer I never had any real experiences in working for a nonprofit. JMF turned out to be an incredible experience, and I am forever grateful for the Saturday morning breakfast shift that gave me the opportunity to be given this opportunity.
What has been your best JMF intern experience?
Getting to meet and spend time with all of the other interns, of course! Carson, Sarah, Molly, and Laura are all absolutely amazing young women and every moment spent with them is just a lot of fun.
What is challenging about being an intern?
Cling wrap, Saran wrap, plastic wrap – whatever you want to call it. I hate the stuff, and even though I probably only had to use it once this summer, I struggled through every minute of it. I understand that its purpose is to stick to everything, but does it really have to stick to EVERYTHING?
Post written by: Aubrey Wiest
JMF Intern
The Ohio State University, Class of 2018