Internship Chronicles, Chapter 42: Huntergrace Overmyer

One fall day, a Student Prince decided to go on a little adventure. “It won’t be long before I have a career,” the Prince said, “so I’d better start preparing now.” So with some ’Berg education under their hat, and some connections in their back pocket, the Student Prince began forging their way through an internship.

We resume our Internship Chronicle web series.

Chapter 42: Keep expectations in check

Huntergrace Overmyer is a senior psychology and criminology double major with a sociology minor from Oak Harbor, Ohio. She aspires to become a therapist within juvenile rehabilitation centers for youth who are trying to turn onto a new path. She’s starting her journey by completing dual internships this summer with Seneca County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and the Seneca County Juvenile Probation Department.

How did you find your internship, or how did the internship find you?

I found my internship through the internship advisor, Dr. Sarah Lazzari.

What did you expect from your internship initially?

I expected simple house visits for both internships and some court hearings. However, there were days I would come home and cry for these kids and what they are going through. It’s crucial that the community step in to help these kids and grow their relationships and shoulders to lean on.

What really happened in your day-to-day work?

Probation: Typically, we would complete home visits with the youth and parents, attend detention hearings, or visit the youth within the Seneca County Youth Center.

CASA: I would attend court hearings where custody battles were in play and it was crucial to see the impact on the children and voice their wants and needs rather than those of the parents. In my free time in the office, we would put together fundraisers or I would read case files that were important for upcoming hearings. I also helped with community outreach for sponsorships and developed social media posts.

What connections have you made?

I have connected with multiple people throughout the Seneca County Court including juvenile probation, Judge Jay Meyers, Magistrate Bennet, and connections with the women and volunteers of CASA.

What is the most valuable thing you’ll bring back to the classroom after this experience?

I have seen what truly happens within the communities and have learned never to have expectations for anyone. Everyone has their own life and was raised in different ways. Some people may have trauma they were born with and have to overcome on their own. It is important to identify that not all of their trauma or difficulties within criminal justice or life are completely the individual’s fault. They need rehabilitation and therapy rather than punishment.