Intern Introduction: Rachel Byrd
Hello everyone! My name is Rachel Byrd and I will be the new intern for the spring of 2023! I am so excited to get to know you all and am ready to roll up my sleeves and get started. I feel so blessed to be apart of this organization because it has opened my eyes to the path I want to take in my future. I would love to have a career in community development to ensure that those who are most vulnerable in society may have a chance to grow and move towards consistent prosperity. My dream is to begin at a grassroots level and work with individuals in order to gain experience before one day pursuing work at the policy level to make effective, sustainable change for future generations. I am a senior in the Social Work program at WCU and will be graduating at the end of this semester, but plan to stick around in Cullowhee to attend the graduate school program here.
I am originally from Conover, North Carolina, but I love calling Cullowhee home for the time being. The ability to easily go hiking or camping without having to travel far has allowed me to create a lot of wonderful memories that I will cherish forever. I love to be outside and to decompress in nature with my partner to get away from the hustle and bustle that comes from living in a chaotic world. Our dog, Nola, is an avid hiker as well, and despite being six pounds, could hike circles around us, even though she swears she can’t jump up on the couch…When I cannot go outside, I spend my time with nature indoors and take care of my many, many houseplants. I am also passionate about painting, making fun earrings, creating tiny things with clay, and saying that tomorrow I will start scrapbooking (I never actually do). Getting artsy and crafty helps to alleviate my stress by creating something that I can devote my attention that isn’t one of my many responsibilities or obligations.
Again, I am eager to work with all of you and start to gain the valuable experience I know I will receive from my involvement with Circles of Jackson County. Overall, I would say that I am very easy going and will always try my best to be flexible where needed. If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and I will happily have a conversation with you. I can be reached at intern@circlesofjackson.org and will try to reach out to you as soon as I am able. I look forward to working with all of you!