Interns | Menokin: Rubble With A Cause

“INTERN”PRETATIONS ARE BLOG POSTS AUTHORED BY OUR INTERNS. THIS GLIMPSE OF MENOKIN AND ITS PLACE IN THE LIVES OF THESE COLLEGE STUDENTS IS OUR ATTEMPT TO REPRESENT AN ALTERNATIVE POINT OF VIEW OF A MENOKIN EXPERIENCE. THEIR ONLY INSTRUCTIONS ARE TO “WRITE ABOUT YOUR TIME HERE.”

– Emily Lyth

“Before I even started interning at Menokin, I knew it was going to be an experience that I would enjoy because my sister, Allie, had already spent over a year here as an intern before she left for CNU. She was always coming home with stories about how much she loved the projects she was working on and the people she was working with. I was excited about getting involved at Menokin but never planned on taking so much away from this experience.

I have enjoyed every moment of this internship. Whether it’s doing research, helping Alice prepare for a program, or just brainstorming, each assignment we have worked on has taught me something new.

In addition to everything I have learned, meeting Bri and having the opportunity to work with her, Sarah, Alice, Leslie, and Mavora, are some of the main reasons this summer has been so unforgettable.

While I appreciate all of the experience and knowledge I have gained from my internship at Menokin as well as all of the amazing new people in my life because of it, I am especially grateful to have had the chance to spend the entire summer working with Allie. We have our moments of bickering and we like to tease that we don’t get along, but the truth is that she’s my best friend, and this summer spent with her at Menokin has been one of the best.

I know she’s nearby when she’s at CNU and we live together when she’s home, but we still don’t get to spend as much time together as we used to. Now that we’re older and going to different schools, we each do our own thing most of the time. That’s why it has been such a great experience spending time with her at Menokin this summer.

Collaborating on projects and working events like the music festival together has been more

Menokin Volunteers and Staff at the Music Festival

fun than I ever anticipated. Saying goodbye to Bri when she left to go back to Pennsylvania was tough because she became such a great friend this summer, so I know it will be tough when Allie leaves to go back to CNU next month, too. The memories we made over the summer will be ones that I continue to look back on and cherish long after this summer is over though. I intend to enjoy the last few weeks of summer with Allie at Menokin and have no doubt we will make the most of them.

And as much as I hate to say goodbye to this summer, I’m excited to see what the next chapter at Menokin will bring. I know the future projects won’t disappoint, and I’m looking forward to the time I get to spend with Sarah, Alice, Leslie, and Mavora.”

emily lyth has been an intern at menokin since april 2014. she lives in richmond county with her family and is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree from drexel university’s online degree program.

“I started visiting the trails at Menokin back in April. As a new intern, I felt it was important to educate myself about The Menokin Foundation. To me, that meant going beyond simply learning about Francis Lightfoot Lee and the history of the Menokin house; I wanted to explore the land and the property that are such an intrinsic part of Menokin’s story.

So when the weather got a little warmer, I laced up my hiking shoes, charged my iPod, and spent most of my Saturday traveling the beautiful paths through the woods and along Cat Point Creek. Though I hadn’t anticipated it, that was the beginning of a new weekend tradition for me ─ one that has become a great source of relaxation in my life.

The following weekend, I added my camera, some homework, and a book to my backpack and spent the afternoon taking pictures of nature and the wildlife, catching up on homework, and reading.

Whether it’s just to walk and mess around with my camera while I listen to music or to sit at the picnic table by the creek and do homework and read, spending time at Menokin is now something I look forward to after a long or stressful week; the whole property offers a peaceful solitude that can’t be found anywhere else.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve learned that visiting Menokin with friends is a fun way to spend the day enjoying nature, and visiting alone is a great way to relax, de-stress, and clear my mind. Menokin has become like my own little sanctuary ─ the place I escape to when I need time alone or need to unwind.

Since I started interning at Menokin, I have felt that I’m part of an organization and experience that is truly special, and I think the property and trails are a great reflection of that feeling.”