The Workum Fund, the highly respected organization which offers internships for college students at a variety of organizations within the Cincinnati Jewish community, is now in its 95th summer. This year, the Workum Fund has 10 interns, each paired with a different organization. The Workum Fund recieves support from The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati. Workum offers a unique opportunity for the group of interns to work independently while collectively bettering the Cincinnati Jewish community and learning throughout the process.

Each organization offers interns a different chance for growth and involvement in the Jewish Community. Peter Hull, a junior at Indiana University, is spending the summer at Cedar Village. He says, “I really enjoy hearing all of the stories of the residents at Cedar Village and getting to connect on a personal level.” The events and opportunities that the interns are exposed to are not only great introductions to the community, but they also provide valuable professional contacts for those looking to return to Cincinnati after college.

In addition to their individual agencies, once each week, the Workum interns gather together at a different agency, where an intern leads a presentation about the organization her or she is paired with, presided over by Brett Stern, director of the Workum Fund. These meetings present a time for learning, bonding and collaborative thinking. Each year, the interns agree that these meetings are among one of the many highlights of this internship.

The 2012 interns are a very diverse group of young adults. They attend schools all over the country, including Emory University in Atlanta, Brandeis University in Boston, Washington University in St Louis and more. They are also studying an array of topics, ranging from the sciences to the humanities. One important commonality they have is that an excitement to give back to the Cincinnati Jewish community.

Michelle Glazer, a sophomore at The Ohio State University interning with the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, says, “I am most excited to become even more involved in the Jewish community.” Most of the interns agree with Michelle and are very excited to work and stay active within the Jewish Community.

Although the internship is only at the halfway point, it is clear that the interns are already learning so much. Nathan Markiewitz, a sophomore at Vanderbilt University says, “I have really enjoyed the opportunity to work on interesting and meaningful projects.” As almost sixty people applied for these internships, the chosen interns thrilled to be representing the Workum Fund and working for our Jewish community.

Please watch the video above to hear more from our 2012 Workum Interns.