In retrospect of her year, JYLA (EUIP) alum Janet Schmidt of service year 2005-06 said,
“When I finished in 2006, I was just proud of myself for taking a year off after college, and doing service work and living in community. And I think now I look at it as just one of the best choices I’ve made in my life. It wasn’t taking a year out- it was just more developing skills and personality traits that I really value today that I wouldn’t have received anywhere else.”