Amos Lawrence

Amos Lawrence, from Boston, Massachusetts USA, participated in a radio journalism internship through the VACorps gap year program from January – March 2025. He will be attending the University of Chicago starting in the fall of 2025.

I had high expectations for VACorps, and the experience exceeded them.

The support from the VACorps team was excellent. The orientation program grounded me in the culture and geography of the city and gave me a strong sense of what to explore and experience. The weekly excursions were fun, well-organized, and clearly communicated. I didn’t attend enough Culture Series events to comment meaningfully on them.

My internship was the highlight of my time in Cape Town. I was placed in a dynamic environment where I was given real responsibilities and the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution. I gained valuable professional experience and learned a great deal about everyday life in South Africa through my coworkers, as well as about the country’s politics and history through conversations with more senior colleagues. I also genuinely enjoyed the people I worked with and felt welcomed as part of the team.

Finally, I made real, lasting friendships here. The close-knit layout of the Lofts and the abundance of exciting things to do create the perfect recipe for forming deep bonds. The people I met were smart, adventurous, and kind—we even went skydiving together in the first week! I’ve never been surrounded by a group quite like this before.

I heard about VACorps through word of mouth—and it makes sense. People who do this program tell others to do it, too.