Izzy Greenstein ’26 and Ruby Radis ’26 gained experience serving the Alamance County community while deepening their commitment to social justice and resilience.
Two human service studies majors – graduating seniors who also happen to be roommates and best friends – recently completed an internship together at the Family Justice Center of Alamance County, a one-stop services hub for victims of family and elder abuse.
Izzy Greenstein ’26 and Ruby Radis ’26 performed a variety of job duties for partner agencies who serve members of the community in need of assistance.
The duo conducted intake interviews with clients and made referrals to the partner agencies such as Family Abuse Services, the Burlington Police Department and the Elder Justice Project, and they observed criminal court hearings, participated in a Burlington Police Department ride along, and shadowed a Family Abuse Services advocate who was filing a restraining order.
As part of the human service studies major, seniors take four courses in the same semester, allowing them to attend classes two days a week and spend the remainder of the week at their internship placements.
“The internship serves as the capstone of our major, offering students the opportunity to connect classroom learning and theory to real-world practice, and Izzy and Ruby embodied this integration at the highest level,” said Sandra Reid, the associate teaching professor who oversaw their internship.
Greenstein, who is bilingual and a double major in Spanish, also supported Spanish-speaking clients by doing administrative work in Spanish. She said guiding clients through intake interviews provided valuable hands-on experience.
“Working alongside Izzy has been such a blessing over the past couple of months,” Radis said. “We are able to discuss the heavy things that we see each day. We can lift each other up when the stories we hear during our intakes become very emotional.”
Before this internship, Greenstein and Radis had little experience working with victims of domestic violence. Both said they gained a deeper understanding of the challenges clients face and found the experience meaningful.
One moment that stood out to Greenstein was attending court to observe proceedings from first appearances to criminal trials.
“This internship has been my favorite experience. I have loved getting to work with Ruby,” Greenstein said. “It has given me real-world experience and has shown me what people are going through right under my nose in the community. This experience has given me exposure to social work that I could see myself doing in the future, and it has taught me how to sensitively work with high-risk clients to get a better understanding of what is available in Alamance County.”
Radis said one of her biggest takeaways from this internship is the presence of hope and people working hard toward justice.
“There are opportunities out there for me to go to work every day and make a small contribution to change,” Radis said. “Studying human services studies has completely shifted the way I approach working with others and pursuing social justice. I have come to understand the importance of learning from the communities I work with just as much as they learn from me.”
The human services studies major provides many opportunities for real-world experience. In addition to internships, students complete volunteer work at local organizations. Radis has volunteered with the Alamance Dream Center and several organizations in Charlotte, while Greenstein has volunteered with Friendship Adult Day Services, Inc., Church World Service, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Benevolence Farm and Elon’s “It Takes a Village” Project.
Radis said the major cultivates leaders through examining social structures, fieldwork, theory and more to bring about positive change in undervalued fields. The major also fosters close relationships both inside and outside the classroom, especially during the senior internship semester.
Both students recommend the major to incoming students interested in the social sciences and community work.
“I would tell someone who is interested in the program to do it,” Radis said. “Studying human service studies has taught me so much about our world and my place in it. It has challenged me to think outside of the norm and into a future that contains professionals charged with a critical yet positive lens.”
Reid said both students exemplified the highest standards of professionalism, initiative, and compassion during their internship. Both students approached their work with curiosity, respect, and a deep commitment to serving others.
“Izzy demonstrated exceptional communication and critical thinking skills, engaging thoughtfully with clients and partner agencies while performing at the level of a high-functioning new employee,” Reid said. “Ruby consistently went above and beyond, building strong professional relationships, seeking additional responsibilities, and embracing every opportunity to learn.”
Both seniors plan to work for a few years before attending graduate school. Greenstein said she hopes to earn a master’s degree in social work and dedicate herself to immigrant and refugee populations, domestic violence victims, underserved communities or within the criminal justice system. Radis said she also plans to pursue a graduate degree in social work or law.