United Way of Southwest Virginia September Newsletter

Cover to College See what one of our first Ignite Interns is up to now! Career exploration has always been an important part of our Ignite Internship Program. One of our original Ignite Interns from 2019, Jules Lemmon, found herself highlighted on the cover of The Business Journal of Tri-Cities TN/VA featuring her time at Universal Fibers as an intern. Lemmon completed two Ignite Internships before deciding to continue her education at Marymount University. Her first with Universal Fibers and the second with United Way of Southwest Virginia. She currently studies a major in Political Science and two minors in communications and law. In addition to maintaining good standing in her academics, Lemmon competed on the University’s track and soccer teams and participates in an honors program. She completed work over the summer of 2021 with Feeding Southwest Virginia through Americorps and plans to keep busy when she returns to school in the fall. “I expected both of my internships to be rigid and intimidating when they were quite the opposite.” said Lemmon. Jules tells us her time management skills have come in handy to juggle all her classes, work, and sports while in school. “The great part about an internship is that there is more to it than working. The goal is also to gain knowledge and experience. I ended up having a lot of fun with both of my internships, and quite frankly, that wasn’t something that I was expecting.” The United Way of Southwest Virginia team is happy to hear she is doing well and wishes her all the best in her future endeavors!

“I am so thankful for all of the experiences I had with my Ignite internship. Taking advantage of the opportunities that were placed in front of me was one of the smartest things I have done. If you choose to complete an internship then you’ll get more out of your summer than money and it will help you in the long run.” - Jules Lemmon

To learn more about Ignite Internships visit www.unitedwayswva.org/ignite-internships

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