This summer, we were fortunate to welcome four bright and passionate interns to our team, each bringing unique perspectives, energy, and talent.
As Prison Society interns, they supported daily operations, learned about prison oversight, and saw firsthand how incarceration affects people on both sides of the bars. They also took part in meaningful experiences beyond the office, from legislative events in Harrisburg to community work with partners like Eastern State Penitentiary.
Please meet Aaliyah, Emma, Mackenzie, and Simon —four students who chose to spend their summer making an impact with us.
Prison Society: What was your favorite project or task you worked on this summer?
Aaliyah: My favorite project that I worked on this summer was reading and collecting information from our Graterfriends newsletter's oldest archives! It was really cool being able to read about what prison conditions were like before I was born and especially during COVID-19. Through all my readings, I got a sense of community from the incarcerated people writing the articles from throughout the commonwealth.
Prison Society: What will you take away from this experience moving forward?
Aaliyah: Growing up in Philadelphia with both parents being impacted by the criminal justice system during my early years, my internship with the Pennsylvania Prison Society has been deeply meaningful. It gave me the chance to engage with the same systemic issues I experienced firsthand, particularly the impact of overcriminalization of Black families and communities. This experience deepened my understanding of how the justice system often fails those it claims to protect, and it strengthened my commitment to advocating for meaningful reform within our criminal justice system.
Prison Society: How did this internship shape your perspective on The Prison Society’s mission?
Emma: At first glance, I think it's easy to read PPS’s mission as an absolute, one that protects the communal health, safety, and dignity of all involved in Pennsylvania’s incarceration system. Yet, with each letter I responded to, I grew to understand how deeply personal every interaction under that mission truly is. While systemic reform is crucial, my time at the Prison Society underscored the power of personalized care, one-on-one interactions, and individualized empathy. Upholding the dignity of every incarcerated person requires taking the time to understand their unique situation, an approach to advocacy that my internship has shown me is not only valuable, but essential.
Prison Society: What was the most unexpected or surprising thing about your internship?
Emma: Although I have been interested in prison reform for many years, this internship revealed how little I truly knew about life behind prison walls in the U.S. Reading letters from incarcerated individuals, conducting research on the history of mass incarceration, and visiting facilities in person exposed me to the reality of a system designed to be opaque. Working alongside colleagues and mentors deeply knowledgeable about Pennsylvania prisons has fueled a curiosity and commitment to challenging incarceration’s opaqueness and uncovering its injustices.
Prison Society: Was there a moment during your internship that stood out to you?
Mackenzie: One moment that stood out to me during my internship was visiting Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Philadelphia and SCI Chester. Seeing these facilities in person brought a deeply human dimension to the work we do every day responding to letters from incarcerated people. Walking through the cell blocks, hearing the sounds of the facility, and seeing the living conditions made the challenges described in those letters feel immediate and real. It was a powerful reminder that each piece of mail we handle represents a person navigating an incredibly difficult reality, and it reinforced for me the importance of treating every letter with empathy, care, and urgency.
Prison Society: How did your understanding of our mission or the work we do change over the course of your internship?
Mackenzie: When I first started my internship, I understood the Prison Society’s mission in a broad sense: to advocate for and support people in prison. As the weeks went on, I began to see how that mission is lived out in ways that are both practical and deeply human. Answering letters wasn’t just about providing information—it was about offering connection and compassion. Visiting prisons showed me the realities behind the stories we read every day, and it made clear how important our role is in making those voices heard. I came to understand that the Prison Society’s work is not only about systemic change, but also about showing dignity and care to each individual person.
Prison Society: What’s something new you learned during your time with us?
Simon: For me, the most interesting thing I learned was how the integration of data, science, and AI is working in the prison re-entry space. Particularly, what comes to mind was the JustUs event where many local organizations and businesses convened to discuss the needs of prison re-entry. Many of the nonprofits stressed the need for better understanding of how the fourth industrial revolution will impact their work and the populations they serve. This prompted me to take on a data science project during my time at the Pennsylvania Prison Society.
Prison Society: If you could describe your internship experience in one word, what would it be and why?
Simon: Immersive. Back in university we would have discussions about the prison industrial complex and the technical explanations of how these systems worked; however, my time with PPS showed me the personal effects these systems have on individual lives in a way that could not be replicated in a classroom setting.
As we move into fall, we are grateful for the dedication and heart Aaliyah, Emma, Mackenzie, and Simon brought to the Prison Society this summer. Their reflections speak to the power of connection, empathy, and firsthand engagement in understanding the true impact of incarceration. Each of them leaves having made a meaningful contribution to our mission, and we’re excited to see how they carry this experience forward in their academic and professional journeys. Read more about our internship opportunities here: https://www.prisonsociety.org/careers
Special thanks to Mackenzie for interviewing her fellow interns and contributing to this story.