Princeton University

Greer Hanshaw '13, Economics concentrator
IIP Placement: aidha, Singapore
PowerPoint Presentation (.pdf)

I am a junior in the Economics department with a special interest in policy, social equity and micro-entrepreneurship. I pursed an internship at aidha because I wanted to engage in micro-entrepreneurship from a different angle; instead of providing capital, aidha provides financial education and teaches savings skills to its students. The organization’s special emphasis on educating and empowering women has helped mature my understanding of development and has prompted me to consider alternate ways of assisting the disadvantaged. My time abroad also exposed me to the rich, diverse culture of Southeast Asia, a region I knew little about before traveling.

Carrico Torres '14
IIP Placement: CEDESOL, Bolivia
PowerPoint Presentation (.pdf)

I spent summer 2011 in rural Bolivia, working with a nonprofit in developing the solar energy practices of the region, as they both improve health in rural communities as well as reduce the carbon footprint. While I also worked on smaller projects throughout the eight weeks, I focused most of my attention in program development and evaluation by researching, constructing, and conducting a survey that evaluated the impact solar ovens have had in central Bolivia thus far. This was the first of a seven year program designed to distribute 54,000 solar ovens to households across central Bolivia. Not only did I work in a foreign language and culture, but I was able to gauge my desired career path and interests through this experience, as it complemented my desire to work in international development and public policy. During the summer of 2012, I plan to continue to pursue this passion abroad in a more professional environment. I hope that last summer's experience combined with this upcoming summer's opportunities will allow me to better navigate career options.

Rebecca Welbourn '13, English concentrator
Princeton in France: Baccarat, Paris
Global Seminar Internship: Baboro, Galway, Ireland

I’ve done internships through both Princeton in France and the Global Seminar Internship Program. The summer after my freshman year I worked at Baccarat in Paris for two months, which was amazing … I got to really know Paris, was able to make friends with French college students, and met the cast of Gossip Girl when they filmed where I was working one day! After my sophomore year, I did a Global Seminar in Galway, Ireland, on contemporary Irish theatre and performance. I then stayed another month interning for Baboro, an international children’s arts festival based in Galway. I can’t recommend doing an  international internship enough – they provide a different experience from studying abroad, and they’re a great way to immerse yourself in a culture in a way you normally wouldn’t be able to! I’m an English major pursuing a certificate in French Language and Culture, and I think these internships are really helpful in broadening your worldview and introducing you to new experiences, even if they don’t line up directly with your career goals.

Teguru Tembo '13, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology concentrator
IIP Placement: Wellbody Alliance, Kono, Sierra Leone
PowerPoint Presentation (.pdf)

“Masturbation, puberty, contraceptives—talking about such things with your father and mother will bring shame to them…and your friends will think you are loose!”

Culture shock hit hard and fast when I first heard one of Wellbody's community health workers say this. I personally couldn’t imagine being a 13-year-old and going through the biggest changes of my life without friends and family to turn to. Currently, many teens in this small West African nation are growing up exactly this way.

In Wellbody’s PEPTOK program, I saw an opportunity to merge my ostensibly disparate interests in African development, biology, education reform, research, and nonprofit work. Thanks to Dr. Dan Kelly '03, the Executive Director, and Dr. Bailor Barrie, I got to do just that. My main project was a research carnival planned in conjunction with Wellbody’s PEPTOK, a peer education program founded by Fatu Conteh ‘11 and Kati Hsih ‘11. PEPTOK uses media campaigns, dramatic productions, lectures (and now carnivals) to aid its mission—familiarizing Kono’s youth with the benefits of contraceptive use, informing them about STIs and puberty and generally educating them about anything relating to sexual health.

Alexandra Deprez '12, Anthropology concentrator
IIP Placement: UNESCO, Earth and Ecological Science Division, Paris, France
PowerPoint Presentation (.pdf)

I am a senior in the anthropology department with a certificate in environmental studies and intend to pursue a career that addresses environmental issues in some respect. I am interested in sustainable agriculture, conservation, sustainable development and in public consciousness about environmental issues. The IIP internship at UNESCO's Earth and Ecological Science division offered me a very valuable window into the workings of environmental policy at the inter-governmental level and deepened my interest in exploring the theme of sustainable agriculture after graduation. The research I undertook during this internship on connecting sustainable agriculture initiatives in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves to food security and markets served as the starting off point for the Fulbright application I proposed on Brazil nut harvesting as a sustainable development strategy within Ese-Eja indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon.