Michael Black, a Chattanooga native, served as a summer intern at Youth Villages, a national nonprofit that helps young people with behavioral and emotional challenges and their families live successfully.

Mr. Black, who studied at the University of Tennessee, worked at the Youth Villages group homes in Memphis.

This summer, 63 college students from across the nation traded in their classrooms and books for valuable work experience with Youth Villages’ summer internships. This year’s internship class represented 37 different colleges and universities from across 23 states.

The Youth Villages summer internship program is highly competitive, receiving an average of more than 600 applications over the past eight years. For its 2026 summer internship program, Youth Villages received more than 650 applications. Youth Villages, now in its 40th year, began its summer internship program in 2000.

“This year’s group fully embraced the opportunity to gain experience working with the youth in our care,” said Luke Self, managing director of recruiting at Youth Villages. “It was especially rewarding to see several interns return for a second summer with us, which speaks volumes about our program’s value.”

Summer interns served at the organization’s Memphis residential campuses and Nashville-area group homes. Hailing from degree programs in social work, psychology, education and more, interns gained hands-on experience working with youth ages 6 to 17 by supporting their positive development and helping them implement individual goals; planning and leading recreational activities; and serving as positive role models by demonstrating a healthy, wholesome approach to life.

“We want this opportunity to be the first step for these interns on a career path that hopefully either begins with Youth Villages or brings them back to us down the road,” Mr. Self said. “Our internship program has been a great talent pipeline for many former interns moving into full-time positions with Youth Villages nationwide after they graduate.”