Charlotte Harmon

Majors: Psychology and Philosophy

Legal Aid of Tippecanoe County

How did you learn about this internship opportunity?

I learned about it through my friend, Amellia Klute, who was also a Purdue student majoring in philosophy. She was previously heavily involved with the internship and afterwards, continued to law school.

How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals? How did being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue apply to your internship?

I used to be exclusively a psychology major, but through my philosophy classes, I have come to learn that I love the writing and the type of analytical skills that can hugely be found in areas of law. So, in order to ensure that I was really interested in law I wanted to properly immerse myself in a law firm environment which is what this internship did. The analytical skills taught in my philosophy classes helped me gain better understanding of complex legal papers.

What is a piece of advice you would give someone in your major looking for an internship?

I would tell them to reach out to places in the community, such as Lafayette or their own hometown. I think a lot of people have tunnel vision and want to only go for what seems like "huge" positions in DC, New York, etc., however, there's much more that can be offered in small towns and cities than people realize.

What key responsibilities or tasks have you taken on during your internship?

I was in charge of drafting legal documents, filling out applications and assessing the financial status of potential clients, and attending court hearings and taking notes.

In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in our job-ready program specifically aided your professional development?

Since the internship was paid, and I was having to commute everyday, I was able to focus fully on the internship rather than having to pick up additional work someplace else to make sure I was able to afford the commute. If I had not received the award, I am not sure if I would have completed the internship as saving money for law school in the future is very important to me.

Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in this program that you find particularly noteworthy?

I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to connect with other cla students who also completed a summer internship during the thank you job ready event.