Story #39: Thalia Henderson
Without hesitation, Thalia Henderson says that JEP was “the best part of her undergraduate experience.”
Growing up, Henderson always had a passion for volunteering and giving back to the community. So when she came to USC, it was a no-brainer to join JEP.
Throughout her years in the program, Henderson did six different assignments including volunteering at A Place Called Home and Midnight Mission. But her most formative experience was tutoring children at John Adams Middle School.
“We had like a pretty big class and it was a group that was teaching. We took over for 30 minutes or so during the class period. And I just remember we taught a lot of creative writing stuff, which was very fun for me to share with the students.” she says. “And I remember when we were leaving, there was a girl, Victoria, who wrote this really sweet letter to me about how much she enjoyed being in our class and specifically working with me. It was definitely a validating experience, getting to share something I was passionate about with students and seeing them get excited about it as well.”
Another experience Henderson fondly recalls from her time at JEP was her time as Pre-Law Project Student Director. She says that the reflective volunteerism she learned during her time there is something she has carried with her long after her program ended.
“I appreciate the way that you’re constantly reflecting and you’re constantly examining what position of privilege you have being at the university and how the students in the community are affected by the university in certain ways.” she adds. “I have always been tucked into my obligation to volunteer in some kind of way. But I think the difference with my experience at JEP was that not only was I volunteering, but I was critically reflecting on the way that I was moving through the community and the way that I engage with the community and ways in which that could be beneficial or harmful.”
It was through Henderson’s service as Pre-Law Project Student Director that she became interested in working with nonprofits. After graduating from USC, former JEP director Tammy Anderson connected her with the RightWay Foundation, which provides mental health and employment services to former foster youth. Currently, Henderson works as a Director of Development at EdSource, a nonprofit organization geared towards setting up California students for success.
“It really was a direct pathway from the JEP house to what I’m doing now.” she added.
Henderson says that she recommends that every USC student participate in JEP. She says that breaking down the barriers between the university and local community not only enriched her college experience, but also put her on the trajectory for her current career path.
“JEP is just a place where it is worth investing in and the people who work there are awesome. they’re guiding the programs in a way that benefits students and the community and hopefully is providing a kind of a volunteer workforce that’s going to make a positive impact.” she says. “It’s a very empowering place that I really appreciate on the campus.”