What's your story?

"As an intern, the opportunity of working with others has given me the chance to see the humanity in other people. I have realized that most of us experience similar struggles and triumphs and we are not alone in these endeavors. These
realizations have encouraged me to approach people more confidently and use my position to successfully share useful health information."  - Chassidy Hanley

Why did you become a part of S&R and what are your reasons for remaining an intern?

"This is my fifth quarter being in the internship and I went into the internship because I felt like it would help my career because I want to be a professor of human sexuality but now I remain in the internship because it makes me feel a part of the UCSB community. I do a lot of outreaching to students and I spread the knowledge that I have of sexual and relationship information because a lot of people go into having sex without knowing that much about how to communicate what they want need, or STI information or getting checked up. I want to help the community to have safer sex and have better communication. I also like it when strangers and my peers feel comfortable enough to come up to me and tell me their personal stories and ask for help and information. I feel like a lot of people don’t know how to put on condoms correctly until we teach them. " – Kim

Why did you decide to take the internship training course?

"I decided to take the S&R class for several reasons. In IV and at UCSB we are surrounded by sex. It is constantly being talked about, hinted at and, well, performed. However, I feel that a lot of students do not really know the ins and outs to sex (no matter how much they might want us to believe the contrary!). I feel like I fit into that majority and decided to take ED 191A to learn more about sex and to hopefully teach others about sex too. "

What has the class taught you?

"I joined the class to learn about sex. Which I did. However, what I really learned about is friendship. Support, listening, motivating, etc. In ED 191A you learn all about relationships. Relationships of a sexual nature and relationships of a friendlier nature as well. Knowing all about contraception and gynecological exams is nice, but it has been learning about helping others that makes this class a must take. My ability to really understand people and to communicate with them has been greatly enhanced and that is invaluable.

How do you like the course?

"ED 191A is basically orgasmic. "

– Kit Hansen, Ed 191a student, Fall 2006

How has the internship changed your UCSB experience?

"One of my fondest memories of the internship happened when presenting for La Hermanas Unidas. Ellen and I were scheduled to help the club with a presentation that they wanted to do themselves. This being my first quarter as an intern and my first presentation, I was very nervous. It ended up working out great because they had a lot of useful information, they just needed a little bit of help on particular topics. What I found to be so great about the presentation was that it showed how comfortable the group was with each other and the topic of sex. Furthermore, their comfort with one another allowed me to be more comfortable with what I was there to do, keep them educated on safer sex. It was really pleasant to help a group that seemed so eager to learn and grow with the information presented to them. "  - Nicole

"I love being a Sex and Relationship intern because I constantly get to talk about topics that I feel passionately about. I also get to spread what I know on various issues to other people so that they can become more educated and learn how to have safer sex, better sex or even a better relationship. Whether I am tabling at an event, participating in a condom alert, or giving a presentation I am actively giving out accurate health information and I am doing what I love at the same time!!! This internship has been an amazing experience and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to participate in it! "  - Raeanne

"Throughout the entirety of my adolescent and pre-teen years, I was known as "Penny the prude". I was very uncomfortable with sexuality in general, and really inexperienced. I was always the first one to blush when my friends brought up their sexual encounters, and for many years I thought that a blow job was a complete myth and there was no WAY anyone actually did THAT! After taking a human sexuality class as UCSB, I realized just how interesting the subject was, and this led me to the Sex and Relationship internship. This internship has given me priceless knowledge that I can use in my own life, and a lot of confidence. I will never forget coming home during a break and telling my friends the seven steps to putting on a condom while they all watched in awe at "Penny the Prude" even using the word "erection". But they were most impressed with my broad knowledge of the subject, and confidence in my ability to inform, and to this day ask me for all the information I can give them on safer sex and how to maintain there relationships. This internship helped me to discover my true passion, public health, and has been an invaluable experience during my college years. "  - Penelope Essakow (penny)