The ADL Mountain States Regional Office was fortunate to have the talented Camille Simmons, a rising senior at Pomona College in Claremont, California, as our intern for the 2021-22 academic year. We asked Camille to reflect on her time with us as she concludes her time with us this month. Keep reading to hear what Camille gained from her internship, and what is next for her!

For the past eight months, I’ve had the pleasure of interning with the Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Region (ADL). As I finish both my internship and my junior year of college, I wanted to take the opportunity to reflect on this experience.

I originally decided to intern with ADL because of the organization’s unparalleled work fighting extremism, antisemitism, and hate. I was excited about the opportunity to learn about how nonprofits operate, as well as to help further the mission of securing justice and fair treatment to all. Additionally, because I’m double majoring in Religious Studies and Political Science, I wanted to explore careers at the intersection of those two disciplines. My internship experience was educational and impactful, and I’m so grateful to have been able to work with so many wonderful, passionate people along the way.

I was able to contribute to number of meaningful projects during my time at ADL. It was especially rewarding to assist in planning the Governor’s Holocaust Remembrance Program and to experience the success of the event and how much it meant to the community. It was also rewarding to serve as a judge for ADL’s annual student essay contest, A Tribute to Moral Courage, and then to see the winners recognized at the Remembrance Program.

Because I’m a proud New Mexican, it was important to me that the internship focused on communities throughout the Mountain States Region. I was glad to be able to connect with fellow New Mexicans and to learn more about the issues facing the New Mexico Jewish Community during biweekly meetings with leaders from around the state. Connections like these will stay with me long after my time with ADL has ended.

Most of all, I was so grateful to the ADL team day in and day out. Not only were my colleagues passionate about their work, but endlessly kind. My internship experience was so positive because the team was always happy and willing to answer my questions, and I genuinely enjoyed getting to know everyone I got to work alongside.

This leads me to a lesson I hope to embody as I move forward in my career and personal life: a commitment to one’s community begins with a commitment to one’s colleagues. If you hope to be a force for good in the world, you must first treat those around you with compassion and kindness. It is also much easier to make an impact when collaborating with others who also aspire to a brighter future.

This summer, I will continue my involvement with ADL by interning with the Center on Extremism. I’m excited to explore another aspect of the work ADL does and see the organization from another angle. After that, I will return to Pomona College to complete my senior year before pursuing a master’s degree in security studies – which covers counterterrorism and related topics.

I am extremely grateful to ADL for welcoming me and showing me the ropes over the past academic year! I owe a special thanks to Sue Parker Gerson and the rest of the Mountain States team for their mentorship, kindness, and guidance.

Editor: We wish Camille all the best with her next ADL internship and thank her profusely for her wonderful contributions to our regional team this year! Please click here for more information about applying for an ADL Mountain States internship. Applications are currently being accepted for Fall 2022 and Spring 2023.