Past Woody Interns
2017 Interns
Hannah Major (Hispanic Studies, Finance, ’19) interned with the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C. She oversaw the office’s social media accounts, researched future events, hosted events at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors, and contributed to their Fall/Winter catalogue.
Hayes Parker-Kepchar (Sociology, Public Health, ’18) interned with Planned Parenthood, where she campaigned for Ralph Northram for Governor of Virginia, as well as other pro-choice candidates. She also worked on outreach and publicity for Planned Parenthood services and planned a fundraiser for the Virginia League of Planned Parenthood at The Triangle restaurant and bar in Williamsburg.
Aleksandra (Ola) Pozor (Government, Hispanic Studies, ’18) interned at the Education Office at the Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C. Her main task was to process No Objection Letters for J-1 visa holders between the Embassy and the U.S. State Department of scholars wishing to stay in the U.S., and she also managed social media sites, wrote speeches, and maintained a database of all Spanish citizens studying or teaching in the U.S.
2016 Interns
Melanie Aguilar-Rojas (International Relations, ’17) interned with the Department of State in their Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affair’s Office of Economic Policy and Summit Coordination (EPSC). Melanie learned how the WHA offices and bureaus, such as the EPSC, the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, and the Bureau of Energy Resources, work together.
Samantha Braver (GSWS, Government '17) interned with EMILY’s List, a PAC that elects pro-choice Democrative women into office. She worked for the Events Department, focusing on the logistics of putting together and implementing fundraising and outreach events for the organization.
Sadie Meadows (GSWS, Psychology '17) interned at the Department of Social Services (DSS) in Orange County, Virginia, where she worked in a variety of departments helping citizens of Orange County acquire necessary services. While working with the foster care branch of DSS, Sadie assisted service providers in dealing with the gender identity and sexuality of foster children.
Taylor Medley (GSWS, Public Policy '17) served as the main Curriculum Lead for Planned Parenthood’s Youth Action Summit in Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University in the summer of 2016. She was responsible for recruiting trainers, training the conference speakers on the activism curriculum, and developing the training material for participants.
Julie Santanna (GSWS '17) interned in the Health Outreach department at Health Brigade (formerly the Fan Free Clinic) in Richmond, Virginia. She served in multiple capacities, doing everything from HIV test counseling to resume and interview skills to community engagement.
2015 Interns
Taylor Medley interned with NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, the statewide arm of the national organization NARAL Pro-Choice America. The internship helped Taylor explore how trans identities and diverse racial identities intersect with reproductive healthcare and find better ways to help these communities access care.
Katie Greenburg interned with the Washington, D.C. office of Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY). This internship helped Katie learn how policy is created on the ground and see the strengths and weaknesses of the American legislative process. Katie plans to do policy work for an advocacy group in the future.
2014 Interns
Eva Zelson interned with Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. She worked with the Employment unit, representing low-income clients in employment discrimination cases, among others. Ms. Zelson is particularly concerned with the devaluation of traditionally "women's work" in the marketplace and hopes to assist low-income women workers in the pursuit of equity.
Amanda Whitehurst interned with Rafiki Africa in Kenya on a project designed to improve educational access for girls and young women of the Lou tribe. School attendance among girls in this community is lower than boys because the girls traditionally stay home during their menses, falling behind and reducing the odds of graduating. Rafiki Africa has developed a feminine hygiene product to address this urgent need, and Ms. Whitehurst will be gathering community input on how the product can be improved as well as educating girls and young women on the use of the product.
Charlotte Mabon interned in Washington, D.C. with Generation Hope, which supports teen mothers in their pursuit of higher education.
2013 Interns
Nicole Chanduvi '15 interned with Raul Emilio Quezada Munante, the Chief Judge of the Second Criminal Chamber of Free Prisoners in the Superior Court of Lima, Peru.
Alexander Lott '14 of the law school worked with Lisa Bertini, of Bertini, O'Donnell and Hammer, a law firm in Norfolk. He assisted with a transgender discrimination case.
Jordan Taffet '16 interned with the Family Planning Council in Philadelphia.
Suzy Ziaii '15 worked under Carlos Osorio, director of the Southern Cone Documentation Project at the National Security Archive in Washington D.C. She assisted with research and data entry on human rights abuses in South America, particularly during the Cold War.
Sarah Overton '14 interned at the Women's Resource Center to End Domestic Violence in Atlanta.
2012 Interns
Hsin-Mu (Morris) Chen '14, interned with SONG (Southerners On New Ground) and worked on activism development for feminism, LGBTQ, and immigrants. This internship will help Morris build wider networks for LGBTQ movements in Virginia.
Shan Davis '13, interned with SONG (Southerners On New Ground). Shan plans to help SONG in buliding communities within Williamsburg, specifically LGBTQIA folks of color.
Pamela Palmer (Law School), interned with the American Federation of Government Employees- Women's and Fair Practice Department, Legal Division in Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth Scott '14, interned for the Teach for America Summer Institute in Cleveland, Mississippi. As an Operations Coordinator Intern, she will be in charge of running educational programs about children in high risk communities, and coordinating training sessions for future TFA employees.
Charlotte Tregelles '13, interned at the Bronx Defenders in New York City. This organization provides legal defense for Bronx citizens who cannot afford attorney services
2011 Intern
Madeleine DeSimone (Hispanic Studies/Government, '13) interned at the Spanish Embassy in Washington D.C. over the summer, translating documents and helping with research and cultural events programming.
2010 Interns
Kate Ainsworth (Kinesiology/Sociology, '11), Jessica Gold (Sociology, '11), Kate Hibbs (Hispanic Studies/Interdisciplinary Studies, '10), and Virginia Jenkins (Hispanic Studies/Environmental Science and Policy, '10)
All four students used their Carol Woody funding to go on the W&M delegation with seven other W&M students and a group of Argentine students to Borderlinks, on the U.S./Mexico border. The students spent a week learning about border issues first-hand and studying a variety of organizations (both governmental and grass-roots) involved with
2009 Interns
All three students traveled to the Mexican/U.S. border to work with BorderLinks, a non-profit that offers educational programs on issues of immigration, community formation, sustainable development, and social justice in the borderlands between Mexico, the U.S., and beyond. Is it a coincidence that all three students chose to travel to the same area? No, all were in a course on the Borderlands. Professors Silvia Tandeciarz and Jennifer Bickham Mendez, of the Hispanic Studies and Sociology departments, designed and co-taught the course with a one-credit spring break travel option
Sewon Chung (Sociology, '10) examined the ways in which "transnational social processes unfold locally in the everyday lives of Latina women." A recently naturalized citizen herself, Chung is interested in the links between globalization and women's labor along the border. Here's what Sewon had to say about her experience: "The borderlands is the place where "space between two individuals shrinks with intimacy" (Anzaldúa 1987) In this intimate space, we conducted field research and on the field, I saw two different worlds coming together and forming an intersection. The trip to the border transformed my perception, not only of Latino migration, but also my own self-identity--a student, a daughter of immigrants, and a member of a community."
Katherine Aument (Hispanic Studies/Sociology '09) gathered information for her senior research project, conducting ethnographies planned with help from Borderlinks in Tucson/Nogales. She notes that "the research trip to the Border offers very practical outcomes" as well, since she may seek a job with Borderlinks or a kindred organization that addresses gender challenges in the area.
Amanda Potter (Latin American Studies/Film Studies, '10) already a visitor to the Tuscon/Nogales areas over her winter break, returned to examine questions about what defines a "migrant" and human rights in this area.
