Our #SummerOfPurpose blog series follows this year’s Cleveland Foundation Summer Interns as they reflect on 11 weeks spent working with Cleveland-area nonprofit and public sector organizations. In today’s blog, we hear from Sara Támara Giraldo, who’s spending her summer at Legal Aid Society of Cleveland as a Porter Cleveland Fellow. Related to the Summer Internship Program, the Porter Cleveland Fellows Program began in 2005 in honor of Nancy Lyon Porter, a 1943 graduate of Wheaton College in Massachusetts. Through a generous gift from the Porter family through the Cleveland Foundation, the Porter Cleveland Fellows Program provides opportunities for students of Wheaton College to intern with community-based organizations in Cleveland.

Why did you initially decide to participate in this internship program?

Upon graduating with majors in economics, international relations, and German language, I considered entering the legal field that I had longed for in previous years. Therefore, I concluded that interning at the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland would be the perfect experience to familiarize myself with the legal field and decide if a legal profession was the best fit for me. Additionally, unlike the majority of legal environments, the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland provided something I was familiar with, experienced in, and eager to engage with: the nonprofit sector.

What was the most valuable aspect of your internship experience?

Although it is very difficult to discern and decide, if I had to choose a remarkable aspect that the Legal Aid Society has given me exposure to, I would say it is the opportunity to lead intake interviews during the community-based clinics in which I participated. During these clinics, volunteers like me had the opportunity to engage in direct conversation with community members seeking assistance from the Legal Aid Society. During these conversations, I was able to apply my legal understanding to the issues the clients were mentioning by summarizing the clients’ problems for an attorney to advise on. Most memorably, I refined my interpersonal skills by practicing the art of listening to clients’ stories. Overall, being part of the clinics has immensely enlightened me about the community members I aim to serve here in Cleveland, and anywhere I may go in the future, by better understanding their behavioral patterns, comfort levels, and focus. This will enable me to serve them better.

What was the most challenging aspect of your internship experience?

The most challenging part of this internship has been coming to grips with the limitations that every organization faces. Like many other organizations that are federally funded and dependent on community grants, there are some restrictions that may impede places like the Legal Aid Society from providing services to all community members. For instance, we do not take criminal cases and have several limitations when it comes to cases involving non-U.S. citizens. However, I have learned that although Legal Aid may not always be legally able to assist everyone, they always ensure that the people who seek their help are connected with other organizations and individuals that can assist with their specific case. This experience has taught me that, even though I may not always be able to help in every capacity, I can still cultivate the habit of being genuinely willing to help and redirecting community members, friends, and coworkers to other resources or people who may be able to assist them. 

How did this internship helped you grow professionally & personally?

This internship has further increased my passion for providing direct assistance and services to my local community. As I went through college, it had become routine to think of my job as a means of income, rather than a channel through which I can express my passion for helping communities in need. Interning at the Legal Aid Society has shown me, first-hand, that it is indeed possible to find a job that strikes a perfect balance between earning an income and manifesting my passion for helping others.

Where would you take a friend who is visiting Cleveland for the first time?

There are multiple places in Cleveland that have stolen my heart and mind forever. But if I were to choose one place to take a friend, assuming they have similar interests as me, I would make sure to highlight the beauty of the natural parks and landmarks that can be found across this small city. The first ones that come to mind are in the University Circle area, such as Daffodil Hill and Amber Park.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for the Cleveland Foundation Summer Internship Program?

If this person also happens to be from outside of Cleveland, like me, I would recommend that they do thorough research on the history, culture, demographics, traditions, and overall features of the city. After participating in this two-month experience with the Cleveland Foundation, I have learned details about Cleveland that I probably do not even know about the city I currently live in. Moreover, I wish I had entered this internship with even more knowledge of Cleveland to better engage with the variety of planned activities and to have an informed perspective that could be modified and transformed through new learnings and experiences.

Learn more about spending a #SummerOfPurpose as a Cleveland Foundation intern.