Reflections from the 2026 JOIP Retreat
The end of January presented a weekend of connection, history, and storytelling for students participating in the 2026 Jean O’Connor-Snyder Internship Program Retreat. With nearly 50 interns from 8 higher education institutions across the state, each represented a love for community - and a desire to learn more about becoming good stewards of said communities. While each school’s internship program entails a different focus on community engagement, such as oral history, deliberative forums, or outreach and resource creation for partnering organizations, learning more about supporting Alabama residents remained as the overall underlying purpose.
From visits to the Alabama Department of Archives & History to the Alabama Wildlife Federation and Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), students engaged in programming geared to support them as they continue through their internships. Interns left the weekend knowing more about deliberative dialogue and civil discourse, student journalism, and, most importantly, a vision of how this internship fits into their part of the state. Leaning on a network of alumni, faculty mentors, and community partners, the 2026 JOIP Retreat highlighted this importance of connection in ongoing efforts to support one another.
Reflections by Jayden Alexis-Amora McQueen
As I enter my final semester of college, I have found myself reflecting on many “lasts.” One of the most meaningful was attending my final Jean O’Connor-Snyder Internship (JOIP) retreat with the David Mathews Center for Civic Life. For the past several years, I have served as a JOIP intern at Troy University’s Office of Civic Engagement, and I can confidently say that this program has profoundly shaped me into the leader, facilitator, and community member I am today.
Through JOIP, I found my pathway into the Troy community, leading dialogue and deliberation with youth and helping foster spaces where voices are heard and valued. The work has brought not only meaningful lessons, but also lasting relationships within the communities I have been honored to serve.
The JOIP retreat stands apart from any professional development experience I have attended. It creates space for interns to deeply explore how dialogue and deliberation strengthen civic engagement across Alabama. Through intentional conversations with one another and a powerful visit to the Legacy Museum, I have grown to love this work and find myself understanding its importance every day.