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| Williamson with local children in Namibia |
A summer internship brought home headlines about refugee issues for Lauren Williamson (IAFS 鈥�16). Williamson spent this summer working with the , a Denver-based community organization. ACC accepts refugees who have fled persecution in their home country and have received third country resettlement through the UNHCR and the U.S. State Department. As an outreach intern, Williamson worked closely with graduating high school seniors who had arrived in Colorado with their families as refugees from countries such as听Nepal, Burma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Nepal, South Sudan, Somalia and Syria. A major challenge was organizing the 7th annual gala for the .
Even though Williamson spent two summers previously volunteering in Namibia, her internship was a compelling new experience, adding to her Africa geographic concentration for the International Affairs major. 鈥淚n my internship class prior to starting, I had to research the ACC and refugees in the US, and it helped prepare me for what to expect with my internship鈥� says Williamson. Once Williamson started her internship, she instantly created in-person connections with youth refugees, particularly high school scholarship recipients of the Colorado Refugee Youth Scholarship.
鈥淭he Colorado Refugee Youth Scholarship Fund Program helps kids with social support, tutoring, and school supplies,鈥� explains Williamson. As part of her duties, Williamson organized as the 7th annual gala to raise funds and celebrate the recipients of the Colorado Refugee Youth Scholarship Fund program.听
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| A scholarship recipient telling her story at the 7th annual gala |
Leading up to the gala, Williamson handled the event鈥檚 , volunteers and guest speakers, and met with community members. 听On August 5th, the 7th annual gala took place at the Orbis International House in Denver, Colorado. Williamson was proud of her internship accomplishments, particularly as she listened to six students give speeches about their life stories, and watched community members admire artwork of a talented scholarship recipient. The event allowed the community to show their support for the ACC, and contribute to the success of a diverse group of future leaders.
Williamson will apply her summer internship experience to her future career aspirations. 鈥淚nterning with ACC confirmed my future aspirations to work in policy and refugee resettlement,鈥� she shares. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career with a refugee national agency or non-profit.
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Lauren Williamson, recognized at the 7th annual gala |
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