At The Fortune Society, academic interns receive the unique opportunity to learn about Fortune’s mission and hone professional skills while making a tangible difference in participants’ lives.   

Interns can apply for positions in various Fortune services and programs, including Transitional Services (RISE), Employment Services, Women Rising. and more. With guidance from Ashley Otto, the Director of Volunteer Services, they can tailor their internship experience to fit their interests. Many interns have also chosen to return to explore internship opportunities with additional services and programs.  

We spoke with two interns about their reasons for coming back to Fortune. 

Zachary

Before connecting with Fortune for his first internship, Zachary already volunteered at a ministry as a pen pal with incarcerated people nationwide. There, he found a deep compassion for individuals impacted by the criminal legal system, and while searching for an internship last year, he specifically sought one related to incarceration and reentry.  

Zachary first interned last spring with the NEST, our Peer Recovery Center. He assisted with intakes and helped facilitate weekly groups on topics related to recovery. In his role, he enjoyed connecting with participants, and he found a strong support system in Fortune’s staff.  

“I like to talk about humility, practicing acceptance and learning to accept life on life’s terms,” Zachary shared. “I also like to talk about goal setting. The groups are great when they reach people on a deep, emotional level because it lets them know they aren’t alone, but it’s also important to be constructive.”  

After completing his internship with NEST, Zachary discussed his professional goals and his desire to learn more about research with Ashley. He is pursuing a career in forensic psychology and is interested in gaining hands-on experience and developing essential research skills.  

Now, Zachary is interning with the Center for Research, Inquiry, and Social Justice (CRIS-J). 

“Research is necessary to find out what works, and it’s how we learn,” Zachary said. “We get to look at what is working for our participants who are reentering from incarceration, and these are questions that need to be answered so we can better help people and so we can better our society. Research is essential to that process.” 

Emilee

Emilee has fostered a passion for prison reform since high school, and in college, she created a personalized course of study that focused on the intersections of psychology, the criminal legal system, and reform. Upon coming to intern at Fortune, Emilee was eager to apply her knowledge through hands-on experience with participants.  

This summer, Emilee is interning with the David Rothenberg Center for Public Policy (DRCPP), but she first interned with RISE last year. During her first internship, Emilee provided administrative support, and she worked closely with transition coordinators and case managers.   

While interning with RISE, Emilee shadowed case managers on Rikers Island during the intake process with participants pre-release.  

“It was a grounding experience to be around people who have been through it, versus talking about reentry from a far removed, birds eye view,” Emilee explained. “I got to see that the ‘system’ we talk about as a term is a systematic processing of bodies, very cut and dry. Single file line, exit this room now, enter this room now. It was a life changing experience to see that in real time.” 

After interning with RISE, Emilee returned to intern with the Queens County Reentry Taskforce (QCRTF). There, she focused on outreach work by regularly checking in with participants currently on parole supervision. Working with both RISE and QCRTF, Emilee received insight into the different stages of reentry our participants navigate.