Running to help: 51看片student-athlete Landey Green helps others through two internships
Landey Green
By Cam Adams
Landey Green does it all.
She鈥檚 a driven psychology student at 51看片 and a tireless runner, competing for both the Catamount women鈥檚 track and field and cross country teams. The summer season is usually a time to wind down for student-athletes, but not Green.
She鈥檚 still at it.
Green is working not one, but two internships this summer near Tampa, Florida. One is with the victim advocacy group at the Hillsborough County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and the other is with Selah Freedom, a faith-based anti-human trafficking nonprofit.
鈥淚t's been amazing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had no idea what was going to happen because it's some pretty hard core stuff that's coming at me that I had never dealt with before, and it has honestly been a blessing, like I have loved every second of it. Everybody that I've worked with has been great.鈥�
Both of Green鈥檚 internships involved something she鈥檚 very passionate about: helping people. Working with the local sheriff office鈥檚 victim advocacy group, she helps victims find resources like where to find therapy or court-related stuff through different mediums.
Sometimes she鈥檚 going to the actual crime scenes to reach out, and other times, she鈥檚 checking up them over the phone along with the victim advocates.
The 51看片senior also tags along with a licensed clinician for 鈥淜nock 鈥榥 Talks鈥� where they knock on the doors of dementia patients, patients with suicidal thoughts or anyone else who might need help to get them in touch with resources.
And 51看片has given Green the resources to be successful in those situations.
鈥淲estern has been very open to constantly making sure that we have healthy communication and healthy ways of thinking,鈥� Green said.
鈥淚 really just think Western, in general, with the classes, learning about the mental illnesses, that's been great also because it's really helpful to understand what certain people might be going through.鈥�
As an intern at Selah Freedom, Green works at a temporary housing facility, but isn鈥檛 on the go as much as her other internship.
She鈥檚 just there for the victims.
鈥淲e would just talk to them,鈥� Green said. 鈥淲e allowed them to open up if they wanted to, never pushed anything, just kind of being there as another outlet for them, talking through things while we were also learning how to appropriately address the situations and talk through things and know how to deal and help with trauma.鈥�
Though the two internships have kept Green busy this summer, it鈥檚 not the workload that鈥檚 a lot.
鈥淚t's more so kind of the mental work of it because these are pretty hard core areas of internships,鈥� Green said. 鈥淚'm not just going in there and doing computer work. I'm going in there and hearing trauma, so it's like that part of it is a lot, but the workload actually isn't terrible.鈥�
But Green knows this kind of work is her calling. After her time at WCU, she plans on getting her master鈥檚 in social work so that she can continue to do what she鈥檚 loved most about this summer.
鈥淚t has really fulfilled what my wants are for the future, and I love helping people,鈥� Green said. 鈥淭hat's just always been my thing, and that's why I want to go into social work.
鈥淚 really think that, in general, it has really fulfilled every aspect of my life, made me feel like I have a sense of purpose, that I can actually make a difference in at least one person's life, and that's really all I can ask for.鈥�
