Meet Brooke Adams-Washington University Medical Center Redevelopment Corporation’s (WUMCRC) newest community development intern. Since 2006, Adams has resided in the city of St. Louis. She grew up in a small rural area in Illinois and always wanted to be in the city where there was more diversity and broader spectrum of ideas.
She is currently obtaining her graduate degree from St. Louis University (SLU) in community social work and non-profit administration with a focus on Higher Education. While attending school and interning at WUMCRC, Adams is also busy working as an academic advisor for the University Honors Program at SLU. Needless to say, her plate is filling up.
Adams wanted to intern with WUMCRC since 2010, when she met Brooks Goedeker , WUMCRC’s community development manager . Goedeker informed her about the great initiatives taking place in the Forest Park Southeast (FPSE) neighborhood and Adams was intrigued by the community improvements, especially the dramatic reduction in crime. Once she received her undergraduate degree from SLU, Adams moved to the FPSE neighborhood and has since built her own “urban family” with local residents.
Adams states, “There is a wonderful sense of community among the local residents, social justice initiatives are prevalent in the neighborhood and I am surrounded by academics, a lot of them my professors from SLU. This is my ideal environment.”
Duties as WUMCRC’s community development intern include, working on event planning and coordination so as to bring attention and businesses to the revitalized neighborhood of FPSE and the Grove business district. To do this she works with local merchants and business owners to help coordinate efforts, plan events and organize activities that support the growth of the neighborhood.
WUMCRC’s communication intern interviewed Adams, below is an excerpt from their interview:
WUMCRC: What’s the best part about interning at WUMCRC?
Adams: “The best part of my internship is being able to work with community members at entry level. Listening to the needs of local residents, coordinating events with local business owners, and attending meetings with decision making bodies, to make improvements in the neighborhood, makes me feel connected to a greater whole.”
WUMCRC: What is your five year goal?
Adams: “I want to work for social justice at the community level. Although I’m unsure of which population I would like to serve I’m partial to working with young adults. I hope to find a fulfilling career where I can work to empower others to make positive change within their own lives.”
Brooke Adams, WUMCRC's community development intern
