Internships
Internship Highlights
Join us from anywhere
The internship with the JEAP Initiative will be conducted virtually, and our team is spread around the United States. Interns must be located within the United States.
Mentoring
Receive personalized mentoring from a team of researchers and staff.
Develop knowledge
Further your knowledge of substance use disorder, recovery support services, the justice system, Community-Based Participatory Research, and more.
Join a team that values lived experience
All positions on our team have lived experience (with substance use disorder or the criminal legal system) or disadvantaged background as a preferred qualification. Additionally, our work is guided by three Community Boards.
Gain research experience
Make meaningful contributions to a federally funded research project.
Training
Receive training in skills such as conducting literature reviews, using research-related software, and developing materials to disseminate research findings to a wider audience.
Workshops
Participate in workshops focused on crafting resumes and CVs for employment or graduate school, as well as effective communication and public speaking, to enhance your ability to communicate clearly in school, work, and everyday life.
Informational interviews
Meet one-on-one with researchers, providers, and others to learn about possible career paths.
Receive academic credit and/or a stipend
The internship supervisor will collaborate with the intern to fulfill any necessary paperwork or other prerequisites for the student to earn academic credit through their college or university.
Testimonials from Previous Interns
“The entire team seemed to appreciate the journey I had taken to get there. They respected who I am and valued what I could add to the conversations at large and the projects I was fortunate enough to help in.”
"This was my first time working in an organization like this so understanding the environment of the workplace, as well as how scientists/researchers and project coordinators, etc. work together behind the scenes was very interesting and beneficial to my own career development. I was able to engage more deeply with not only concepts of substance use disorder, but also human research, grants, disparities in care and resources, demographic surveys, and much more. I felt that I learned a lot and had many opportunities to build skills surrounding the professional environment, resource creation, research, and general collaboration with different roles."
Scroll down to hear from more Internship Alumni!
Contact Us
If you have questions about our internship positions or the application process, please use this form to send us an email. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Internship Alumni
Sedona Worth
(she/her/hers)
Intern in Summer 2024
Bio
Sedona graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology. During her time at SCSU, Sedona worked at the campus food pantry and as a research assistant for the Shawn Project, which studies the impact of COVID-19 on justice-involved women who use drugs and their HIV risk factors. Her dedication to spreading awareness of harm reduction and combating food insecurity come from the lived experience of those close to her. Sedona plans on going to graduate school in the fall of 2024.
Highlights from Internship
Sedona was actively engaged in a scoping review focusing on one of the research priorities outlined by the JEAP Community Boards, specifically exploring how culturally relevant triggers for substance use can be effectively addressed in recovery support services. She will continue to develop this review and plans to collaborate on a full manuscript with JEAP mentors. Throughout her internship, Sedona enjoyed connecting with the JEAP team through one-on-one meetings and participating in the in-person retreat in Chicago. She has expressed feeling highly supported and valued, noting: “My lived experience was very valued and it was nice to get professional advice from others with similar experiences.”
Cam Tice
(he/him/his)
Intern in Spring 2023
Bio
Cam’s internship was funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s Summer Internship Program. He studied biomedical sciences, psychology, and statistics at Auburn University and was awarded a 2023 Goldwater Scholarship for his research involving rehabilitation outcomes of court-involved youth in a high-risk residential facility. Cam is a 2024 Marshall Scholar and will be studying social decision making in patients with substance use disorder at Cambridge University. He hopes his work with the JEAP Initiative will help prepare him for a career scrutinizing the social determinants of health, where he is specifically interested in the intersection of poverty, justice system involvement, addiction, and health outcomes. Currently, Cam and JEAP Initiative postdoctoral fellow Patrick Hibbard are putting together the community-based scoping review on recovery housing using past work from the community boards, continuing the work he initiated in the summer internship.
Highlights from Internship
During his internship, Cam had the opportunity to participate in a variety of workshops and seminars, and conducted interviews with a dozen of professionals in the field of addiction. Putting the insights he gained during this time into action, he expanded upon the Research Priorities developed by the JEAP Community Boards, outlining the current literature relative to each pressing question. He hopes this work can serve as a foundation for researchers looking to investigate these questions as well as a resource for the community.
James Tompkins
(he/him/his)
Intern in Fall 2022 & Winter 2023
Bio
James is currently an undergraduate student at Cal State Bakersfield majoring in Psychology and minoring in Public Policy and Administration. James is driven by a passion for using his own lived experience to create pathways to success for others recovering from adverse experiences in the criminal legal system and substance use. He currently works with Cal State Bakersfield’s Project Rebound as a peer counselor, where his focus is to inspire others to seek out education as a means to break down stigmas and create their own paths to success. James hopes to use his experience at the JEAP Initiative to further his understanding of research and improve his professional skills. His ultimate goal is to obtain a Ph.D. and conduct research into improving systems and practices of care for youth, emerging adults, and adults. More recently, James has been elected as the Executive Vice President of his campus student government, and is working with JEAP Initiative Postdoctoral Fellow Patrick Hibbard on the Recovery Housing Scoping Study. He is also in Dr. Anne Duran’s SPARKS lab on campus, researching the potential relationship between internalized misogyny and the impostor phenomenon.
Highlights from Internship
During his internship, James is supporting the work of the JEAP Initiative in several ways. He is connecting relevant publications and resources to the research priorities developed by the JEAP Community Boards. In addition, he co-developed a survey for individuals with lived experience who have transitioned to professional roles, which will lead to the creation of several tipsheets and videos with individuals sharing firsthand advice.
Eden Buell
(she/her/hers)
Intern in Spring & Summer 2022
Bio
Eden is currently a Post-Baccalaureate Trainee with the JEAP Initiative. During her internship, she was an undergraduate student concentrating in Movement Science while minoring in Creative Writing at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She is now actively working on graduate school applications. Because of Eden’s lived experiences with substance abuse and the justice system as a child, she is passionate about working with emerging adults with adverse experiences to identify what recovery capital means to them. Eden enjoys working with a multitude of diverse backgrounds to develop strategies that will aid in sustainable recovery support services. Eden’s career goal is to work with individuals on both the macro and micro levels to promote, achieve, and sustain equity while striving to end stigma.
Highlights from Internship
During her internship, Eden wrote a preliminary guide for researchers focused on recovery capital. "The most valuable takeaway from this experience was the belief that my lived experience holds value and that some of the things I have experienced have not been in vain. For me, learning that my experience can be a tool to bring about change was empowering."
Jessica Snow
(she/her/hers)
Intern in Spring & Summer 2022
Bio
Jessica is an educator with over ten years of experience in public education. She is currently the VP of Operations for Flikshop, a tech startup that works to connect families with their incarcerated loved ones while also fostering educational opportunities for returning citizens to learn tech skills and digital literacy. She is also the Baltimore Prison-to-Professionals coordinator for the organization From Prison Cells to PhD. Jessica continues to pursue her higher education goals and is applying for masters programs projected to start in fall of 2023. As a justice-impacted individual, she was drawn to the JEAP Initiative due to its focus on emerging adults and justice-impacted populations. Jessica is committed to education that transforms, particularly inside the walls of correctional institutions, by providing access to higher education in prison programs, restorative justice, faith-based opportunities, or reentry navigation. You can connect with Jessica on LinkedIn here.
Highlights from Internship
During her internship, Jessica created videos highlighting the JEAP Trainees and pilot studies, contributed to a toolkit focused on generating research priorities through Community-Based Participatory Research, and gave feedback on surveys that will be used with young adults and young adult coaches participating in an upcoming study. "The biggest takeaway from my internship with the JEAP Initiative was that I left with a much broader awareness of struggles within my own justice-impacted community, and with the knowledge of research and services in place to help counteract those barriers and challenges. The OSLC staff was an incredibly supportive community, and took a personal investment in providing educational opportunities for growth, while also helping me chart my career and educational path forward both during the internship and beyond."
Quentin Smith
(he/him/his)
Intern in Winter & Spring 2022
Bio
Quentin is currently an undergraduate student in the University of Oregon’s Psychology department. He is invested in helping others navigate the effects of substance use/misuse on individuals and their interpersonal relationships. Quentin's passion for this subject stems from the lived experiences surrounding his upbringing. Quentin will use the valuable experience from this position to advance his professional skills in this field.
Highlights from Internship
During his internship, Quentin supported one of the pilot studies funded by the JEAP Initiative titled, "Treatment Courts and Community-Level Impact: A Rigorous Preliminary Examination of Criminal and Public Health Outcomes." This study explored treatment court (TC) influences on community-level crime, substance use services, and public health outcomes (like overdose deaths), as well as how factors within TCs (number of participants, graduation rates, etc.) alter these outcomes. Quentin compiled program evaluations and other information from treatment courts across the U.S.
Taiz Gomez
(she/her/hers)
Intern in Winter 2022
Bio
Taiz is an undergraduate student at the University of Oregon. She is majoring in psychology and minoring in disability studies and global health. After graduating, she plans on obtaining her MPH with goals of making healthcare more accessible and equitable for underrepresented communities. While interning, Taiz helped to develop content for the website and social media platforms.
Highlights from Internship
During her internship, Taiz worked on a variety of tasks that supported the project's goals of disseminating research and opportunities for researchers with the broader field, including creating a webpage to promote upcoming events focused on Recovery Residences that was aimed toward researchers, providers, and individuals in recovery. Taiz also helped compile information about the inclusive hiring practices that our team has implemented so that these practices can be implemented across the entire organization.
Grace DePriest
(she/her/hers)
Intern in Fall 2021
Bio
Grace graduated from the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon in June 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Her thesis focused on the effects of gratitude interventions on positive outcomes in family units. Grace is currently attending a PsyD program at the Wright Institute to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology. After completing her doctorate program, Grace plans to continue supporting underserved communities in mental health and access to treatment. She hopes to establish her own private practice with a focus on social justice. You can connect with Grace on LinkedIn here.
Highlights from Internship
During her internship, Grace compiled a guide titled "Asking Demographic Questions in Research," which shares best practices for asking demographic questions in an inclusive way. "I felt my experience helped me to develop my professional skills such as curating professional content, refining my presentation skills, working in collaborative spaces, and utilizing the specialized knowledge of those around me. I feel it also provided me with more understanding of the process of research, especially related to grants. While working on my specific demographic guide project, I gained an in-depth understanding of the significance of demographic surveys and how they can impact the quality of a study."
Edwin Robertson
(he/him/his)
Intern in Summer & Fall 2021
Bio
Edwin earned his Associates Degree in Human Services from Lane Community College and also received a Career Pathways Certificate in Addictions Studies. He is working towards getting licensed as a substance abuse counselor. His lived experience with both the criminal justice system and addiction has made his internship a highly desirable position to prepare him for his future. After graduation, Edwin continued his relationship with OSLC by working as a LEAP Intervention Assistant.
Highlights from Internship
During his internship, Edwin supported the work of the JEAP Initiative and several other projects by co-facilitating a discussion with the Justice-Involved Community Board, helping with training videos for juvenile probation officers on an intervention focused on engaging parents, and providing feedback on a vocational and educational workbook for peer mentors. "The best part of my experience was the exposure to a wonderful opportunity for personal and professional growth that I had never felt in any job I have ever held. Having senior professionals ask and actually consider my opinion on matters felt like an amazing affirmation that I was truly making progress on my journey. With this new level of self-respect, I have applied and achieved a job at a substance abuse treatment facility, the first step of my career goal of being a substance abuse counselor."
Anthony Macias
(he/him/his)
Intern in Winter & Summer 2021
Bio
Anthony graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Oregon and was particularly passionate about providing a support system for emerging adults on his campus who struggled with addiction. He was involved in assisting researchers on the JEAP Initiative team with social media outreach. He recently started a new position as Residential Mentor at Embark Behavioral Health's newest residential treatment center in Bend, OR.
Highlights from Internship
During his internship, Anthony worked on a variety of tasks that supported the JEAP Initiative's goals of disseminating research and opportunities for researchers with the broader field. This included designing a flyer and several webpages to promote a Training Institute for early career researchers, helping the team develop our social media plan to reach a variety of audiences, designing our first email newsletter, and building a new resource section on our website which compiled resources on recovery support services, substance use disorder, and destigmatizing language.