Aubrey Clendening

Major: Law and Society

Juvenile Court Officer Intern at Ottawa County Juvenile Court

How did you learn about this internship opportunity?

The Ottawa County website had a list of undergrad internship opportunities

What is a piece of advice you would give someone in your major looking for an internship?

Do something you actually enjoy. There's plenty of time to work in fields you don't care for. Undergrad internships are meant to be fun, and this is the only time in your life when working at a law firm or in a government role will be low-stakes.

What key responsibilities or projects have you taken on during your internship?

I wrote case notes after juvenile meetings. I also utilized programs such as YouthCenter and OnBase to file court reports to be presented at hearings.

How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals? How did being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue apply to your internship?

Working with juveniles and court documents has built both my communication skills and my writing skills. Literacy is a big aspect of the liberal arts, and I believe that I have become a better writer who can analyze complex texts. Court documents have to be perfect and accurate, and having an eye for finding mistakes or discrepancies is an important skill to have.

In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in our Job-Ready program specifically aided your professional development?

The Job-Ready program provided financial support during my unpaid internship. It would have been very difficult for me to meet my needs without it. A lot of internships are unpaid, especially at the undergrad level, so having a little boost to cover those few days a week I was unable to work for a salary was helpful. The College itself has prepared me for internships in the law and society field by providing curriculum that supports the reading and writing aspects of many jobs.

Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in the Job-Ready program that you find particularly noteworthy?

I was able to perform a screening with several juveniles called a YLS assessment. It was a questionnaire meant to assess the level of risk for a juvenile, and it also revealed a lot of information about the youth's home life.