Reyna is studying Film at DePauw University. She joined the VACorps Program in September 2022 and participated in an internship at a local Television station.
“My time in Cape Town has been nothing but wonderful. I have never traveled abroad before and for this to be my first experience was amazing. VACorps made the process so much better by being so welcoming and informative about my stay here. They eased us into our journey by taking us to some important stops throughout Cape Town, advising us about safety, and connecting us with other people that would help make our stay more comfortable. All of the staff was very helpful and available whenever we needed them. They placed me with a wonderful internship and if others did not have a good fit with theirs, they made sure to connect them with a better place for them to intern during their stay. The Friday activities were always filled with fun. There was something for everyone, whether that was hiking, wine tasting, surfing, or eating great food. They helped me better bond with the other people in the program and through that, I have made some lifelong friends. The culture series was also very informative and were a mix of fun and educational activities for us to better connect with the culture here in South Africa. I am very sad for my journey in Cape Town to end but it has motivated me to travel more around the world and of course, come back and visit again in the future. I was very nervous coming into the trip because I did not know what to expect and had never been so far away from home, but having the VACorps staff to support me and getting to know all of the other interns helped me find a family away from home.”
Meet our most recent VACorps program alumni:
Laila Wheeler, California, USA (2023)
Laila Wheeler is studying Public Affairs, Education, and Sociology at the University of California Los Angeles. She participated in a human rights internship from June - August of 2023. "Traveling to Cape Town was genuinely [...]
Innogen Naylor, Vermont, USA (2023)
Innogen joined the VACorps Program as part of her Gap Year in January 2023 and participated in an internship at a local school for learners from Zimbabwe who are attempting to integrate into the South [...]
Avital Strauss, Illinois, USA (2023)
Avital joined the VACorps PRogram as part of her Gap Year in January 2023 and participated in an internship at an NGO that supports and serves underprivileged communities in one of Cape Town's townships. [...]
William Monkarsh, California, USA (2023)
Will joined the VACorps Program in January 2023, as part of his GAP year, and participated in an internship at an eco-tourism company in Cape Town. "My experience with VAC has definitely been life-changing. [...]
Clancy Erickson, North Carolina, USA (2022)
Clancy recently completed her BA in Human Services Studies at Elon University. She joined the VACorps program in September 2022, and participate in an internship at an NGO that supports refugees in Cape Town. [...]
Dylan DeRosa, New York, USA (2023)
Dylan joined the VACorps program in January 2023 as part of his Gap Year and participated in a human rights law internship. "Cape Town and the VACorps have provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience [...]