Intern Spotlight: Julia Rzasinska
Forging Community with the Odyssey Project
What does it mean to be an HRI intern? We sat down with a few of our student workers to find out what being an intern in the humanities means across a variety of fields. Today we’re chatting with Julia Rzasinska, an intern with the Odyssey Project. The Odyssey Project provides low-income adults in East Central Illinois access to free credit-bearing humanities courses, taught by instructors at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. We have a team of staff, volunteers, and interns, like Julia, who help support the program.
Interview by Sarah Boghossian, HRI Communications and Outreach Intern
What part of the Odyssey Project has been most exciting or fulfilling for you to work on?
I love this semester. After we came back from winter break, I loved hearing from students from the previous semester: what they've been up to, how their break was. I learned that one of our students enrolled in Parkland to get started on a criminal justice degree. This was something that she talked about a lot during the previous semester. It's really rewarding, seeing how students are either continuing their education, or continuing their commitment to the Odyssey Project. Also seeing how they develop as students and learners is really rewarding.
If you could use one word to describe what you do with Odyssey, what would it be?
Can it be two words?
Sure!
Forge community.
Can you explain that a little bit?
We started the school year not knowing each other. I think a lot of us were nervous; this is my first internship. The students were nervous because, depending on their background, they may not have been in school for awhile. Then, after meeting together so many times, I started to form friendships with a lot of these students, despite them being 12, 15, 20 years older than me, and coming from different places and lives. By being vulnerable in the classroom together, and sharing together at dinners, we really get to form this community that is very valuable.
How has seeing adults find and/or return to their higher education influenced your own view of learning?
I'm going to be a high school social studies teacher. Before the Odyssey Project, I wanted to teach the advanced classes. But through this experience, my perspective of learning and different types of learners has changed. It's seeing students' capabilities, despite some sort of label, that's changed my perspective. It's also changed my future career outlook.
What is your favorite part of working with Odyssey?
My favorite part of working with Odyssey…for me, it's two parts. I love seeing how the instructors interact with the students. From the students, it’s seeing how, despite all of the challenges in their lives, they still come to class on Monday and Wednesday, and they're engaged. The dedication is clear on all sides.
If you could give one piece of advice to people interested in working with Odyssey, what would it be?
I would say, do it. Because if you're thinking about getting back into education, that can be a really big decision. Odyssey is a great way to get your foot in the door.
For people like myself, who are part of the Odyssey team, I would join in, especially if you're interested in education. There's not a lot of different opportunities outside of student teaching and observing that we can have. It gives a different lens from the traditional type of schooling; it really opens a different perspective, a different road of learning.