PRI Internships

The Prisoner Reentry Institute has three internship tracks for undergraduate and graduate students: credit-bearing internships, unpaid internships and Federal Work Study placements.  Our interns conduct research, manage our correspondence program, assist with academic counseling and academic planning, attend conferences and a host of other tasks relevant to their reentry interests.  All applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, and 2-3 academic or professional references via email to Danielle Petrilli.

Intern Experiences

I feel so privileged to have interned at PRI and could not have asked for a better first internship… I learned a lot from all the projects I was given, and never felt that I was given “intern work.” I always felt that the work I was doing was worthwhile and important…My favorite projects throughout my time at PRI have been Prison Mail, the Literature Review on Trauma-Informed Care and the I-Poem. I loved writing prison mail because every day I felt that I was making even the slightest impact on a prisoner’s life. Not only because the letter provides resources, but also being a contact for someone beyond the prison cell…I also think it is amazing that prisoners write in from across the country and we take the time to give them individualized resources.
~Lindsay, Summer 2014

This is definitely the kind of environment I want to work around in my career future.  I have learned so much about office administration, program management and design, and the field of reentry. Each day was different and I was mostly always busy with a task, which I did not have at my last internship. I loved getting to work with my supervisors. They made me feel like my work was meaningful and included me in every aspect of Justice Corps, from conference calls to site visits to program design research. Their instructions were always very clear, and they always provided helpful feedback. I felt like PRI cares just as much about what I’m getting out of the internship as they do about needing the work from me. I’m appreciative of opportunities I had to attend conferences and workshops and events outside the office for my professional development.  I felt challenged and motivated in doing my tasks because my work was actually used by the program. This experience has been rewarding in every way. Thank you!
~Wendolyn, Spring 2015

I was exposed to networking opportunities which prompted me to be more self-assertive. I look forward to working with the Youth and Justice club where I can make use of my marketing skills and where I will acquire a deeper understanding of our criminal justice system and reentry life for those formerly incarcerated.  This has made me realize how relevant education is in the realm of justice. Every stand in the fair that I visited mentioned education in some way or another as a way of establishing a foundation for people so that they can move forward on their own and thrive. I want to continue working on projects involving education, though I am open to testing new waters as well. There is a unique sense of responsibility that comes with receiving letters from individuals whose sources are limited and accessibility confined. I have always been slightly frightened by the notion that someone’s sense of hope and liberty rests on my hands, specifically in a career in law; so, I feel that I am on a path that will gradually allow me to acquire the confidence that I can be a resource to people and the skills associated with gathering useful and effective information that can assist individuals achieve self-growth.
~Artemis, Spring 2015