Jen Bullock ’09 (International Relations/ English) followed her interest in human rights to the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland, fighting for international social justice. Working as a summer legal intern after high school in her hometown Pensacola, FL, Jen created a Spanish-speaking hotline for immigrant workers to get legal advice and access to attorneys and discovered her dedication to human rights and the realm of international law. At Stanford, she has pursued these interests through editorial positions at the Stanford Journal of International Relations and the Stanford Journal of Undergraduate Research. Her time at the ILO this summer allowed her to “pursue a passion for human rights and international norms,” an experience she intends to incorporate into a senior honors thesis and a program to engage Stanford students. She plans to eventually attend law school, where she will study international law.
Lindsay Caldwell ’09 (Political Science, African Studies minor) from Memphis, TN spent the summer at the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA), finally able to visit the country she has been “studying from afar.” Interested in community development and democratic development in Africa, Lindsay has taken numerous courses on the region, especially South Africa, and gotten involved with campus organizations like STAND, an anti-genocide group pushing for action in Darfur. She wants to learn about the role of advocacy by non-profit and non-governmental organizations and to better understand their influence on government policy. Working at the IDASA gave her firsthand experience studying democratic development and running a non-profit organization in a region she cites as a great place to “understand how democracy, development, and transnational organizations affect one another.”
Yo-Yo Shuang Chen ’10 (Undeclared) returned to China to work for the International Labor Organization’s office in Beijing. Growing up in Shanghai, Shuang wrote for the Children’s Daily newspaper, exploring issues in China through journalism. Eventually, she decided she wanted to make a more direct difference and turned to public service. Attending college in the US has given her a new perspective on China; she has become increasingly concerned about the poverty and poor labor conditions masked by the “Made in China” label on so many products. Interested in studying the social sciences, Shuang welcomed the chance to learn about labor issues on a global scale and gain experience working at an international organization. She says, “This fellowship was exactly what I had been looking for – a chance to go back, continue my commitment to public service and make a difference with what I have learned at Stanford.”
Hannah Gilula '08 (History, Literature, and the Arts/ Spanish and Portuguese) explored the role of non-profit organizations in self-sustainability and eradicating poverty from a new angle with the Nonprofit Enterprise and Self-Sustainability Team (NESsT) in Budapest, Hungary. From Los Angeles, CA, Hannah observed what she describes as an "overwhelming amount" of poverty during travels and a year-long study abroad in Latin America. While in Chile, however, she visited an organization helping Mapuche Indian women sell weavings that was supported by NESsT's Venture Fund and saw how important the organization was in helping these women achieve economic independence. After studying and witnessing poverty in Latin America, Hannah welcomed the opportunity to compare the economic situation in Eastern Europe and also gained knowledge about how non-profits can create self-sustainable social enterprises which can help strengthen and build economies and improve conditions in impoverished communities. She says, "While the goal to eradicate poverty and improve social conditions can seem too overwhelming, I believe that with organizations like NESsT, which break down the problems and the solutions, changing the economic and social situation of an individual or a community can be enormously successful."
Matthew Platkin ’09 (Political Science/ Economics) from Morristown, NJ had the opportunity to visit Taiwan, spending his fellowship at the Institute for National Policy Research (INPR) in Taipei. After spending much of the last two years studying and researching greater China, Matthew realized that to he would need to see and experience the region to be able to understand it. At the INPR, he learned about domestic and international issues facing Taiwan and developed a better understanding of Taiwan’s international status and cross-strait relationships. Matthew plans to write a senior honors thesis about China’s rise and hopes to impact US policy towards East Asia in his future career. His experience with the INPR gave him a deeper, first-hand understanding of Taiwan, which will help to prepare him for future work on the region.
Yijiang (Karina) Qian ’10 (Undeclared) served her fellowship at the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy in Taipei. From Irvine, CA, she first investigated democracy in China in high school through a National History Day project about the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre and has since developed an interest in democracy, development, and human rights. At the Foundation, she was excited to have the opportunity to participate first-hand in democracy education and advocacy and to help coordinate a biennial conference related to the recently-founded World Forum for Democratization in Asia. She sees her experiences at the Foundation as part of a long-term exploration of Chinese and Taiwanese democratization. She says, “I agree with the Foundation that political development must follow economic growth and believe that Taiwan can serve as an important reference for China as it gradually begins political reform, including the institution of elections and legal reform.” Note: Nicolai has not responded to my emails asking him to proof his bio so has not verified this bio.
Nicolai Schlag ’08 (Earth Systems) from Boulder, CO tested his skills in the field of climate change and energy technology at the Stockholm Environmental Institute. Ready to apply his interdisciplinary education in economics, public policy, and environmental science to tackling environmental issues in the real world, Nicolai was excited to gain an international perspective on climate change policy, especially in Sweden – one of the few countries to have imposed a carbon tax. Interested to investigate Europe’s stance on energy and climate change policy, which tends to be more progressive than that of the United States, he was especially intrigued by the program’s emphasis on developing nations. Nicolai has a “strong ethic of environmental stewardship” and is exploring careers in environmental science to help determine which path to take as he works for environmental protection in the future.
Ashish Shenoy ’08 (Economics) branched out of academia through a fellowship at the Reserve Bank of India in Mumbai, where he researched wheat prices, Indian agricultural markets, and the process of integrating with world markets. Drawn to the field of economics after reading about India’s economic transformation and the country’s close brush with crisis in 1991, Ashish relished the chance to learn about India’s finances first-hand. Though he interned with a microfinance group while studying in Santiago, Chile, working with the Reserve Bank was one of his first experiences with applied economics in the real world; he gained increased familiarity with how economics research is conducted and how the conclusions drawn drive government action and shape policy. Ashish also enjoyed the immersion in daily Indian life. He was born in India but moved to the US when he was very young and grew up in Olivette, MO so was glad for the chance to return to India.
Daniel Slate ’09 (Philosophy) from Los Altos, CA pursued his interest in international security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, where he worked under the Senior Fellow for Conflict and Defence Diplomacy to assess the capabilities of non-state armed groups. Daniel became interested in international affairs at a young age through a fascination with military history inspired by his grandfathers. At Stanford, he has taken numerous political science classes, including two that involved a crisis simulation. Last summer he conducted research with the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace and with the Center for International Security and Cooperation. Daniel’s background in philosophy has exposed him to political theory and rigorous arguments and he was ready to delve into real-world applications this summer. He hopes to become a professor and a policymaker someday and says, “Philosophy has shown me that in every politics there is a psychology and an ethics, and ignoring these two elements makes the mind blind to a complete understanding of the conflict in question. Theory and practice are inseparable.”
Michael Wilkerson '09 (Political Science) from Denver, CO returned to Africa this summer to pursue his interests in governance and development at the Center for Democratic Development (CDD) in Ghana. Last summer, Michael worked as a journalist at The Daily Monitor in Uganda and "witnessed firsthand the disastrous effect corruption and patronage can have on development." Michael was excited to work in Ghana, one of Africa's leading democracies, and to gain experience working in the CDD's academic and analytical environment. He was able to “contribute to a number of major reports” and will draw on the experience in his work at the Millennium Challenge Corporation through the Stanford in Washington program this fall.
Deanna Zhang ’08 (Human Biology/International Relations) interned at the International Labor Organization (ILO) Office at the United Nations in Bangkok, where she analyzed trafficking and migration patterns in the Mekong Delta Region and the effects of microfinance initiatives on human trafficking. After experiences serving as an HIV/AIDS Instructor for Students for International Change in Tanzania and a volunteer at the United Nations Association Film Festival, Deanna became interested in the role of microfinance in development efforts and will be involved in the launch of Gumball Capital, a non-profit student organization fundraising for microfinance, this fall. At the ILO, she observed the organizational structure with the UN and the relationship between the government, citizens, and NGOs. Having studied and worked abroad in China, Chile, and Tanzania, Deanna enjoyed the opportunity to learn about Thailand.