Let's Talk Human Rights

By HRC Student Interns

Through internships, fellowships and other engagement opportunities the HRC provides many different learning opportunities to students at UD. For One Day One Dayton this year our current interns reflect on how working at the HRC has impacted their time at UD.

Read what they have to say:

Eric Grimm, Political Science and Communication, Class of 2022:

I first got connected with the Human Rights Center when I was a part of the 2020 cohort of the Malawi Practicum. Sadly, due to Covid the cohort was not able to travel to Malawi. ​​During this process, I learned how to ethically address a community’s needs.This experience showed me that I want to spend my life aiding individuals to obtain opportunities, justice, and equality.

I started officially working for the HRC in November of 2020 as a MarComm intern. Over the year and half working at the HRC I have worked with our social media, podcasts and newsletters. While I worked on all of that, I mostly worked on the blogs that HRC publishes on their website. I love working on the blogs because it gives me the opportunity to share other student experiences and events on campus. This might not seem like a form of advocacy to help tackle injustice in our communities, but allowing students to share their experiences and inform individuals of amazing events allows the community to be informed of different human right causes.

My time at the HRC has changed the course of my life. Through my experiences at the Social Practice of Human Rights Conference and other events, I have gained a new perspective, a human rights perspective. As I graduate this spring and head to law school, I know that I will take the lessons I learned from the HRC with me.

Lucy Waskiewicz, English and Communication, Class of 2024:

I joined the Human Rights Center in February of 2022 as an intern for the MarComm team. Although I have less time under my belt than many of the other HRC interns, I can safely say that my time here thus far has become an invaluable part of my student experience at UD. Every week I’m presented the opportunity to hone the skills necessary to my majors through projects that will ultimately contribute to the progression of human rights. The ability to combine my passions for both human rights issues and for the work that I do is one I will never take for granted. I’m surrounded by so many motivated and passionate individuals that I wouldn’t have met anywhere else on campus, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do significant work in such a positive environment. I can’t wait to see what the rest of my future holds at the HRC!

Ari Butman, Marketing and Business Management, Class of 2023:

I joined the Human Rights Center this February as a marketing and communications intern on the MarComm team. Throughout my short time at the HRC, I have had the privilege of meeting so many amazing and passionate people from different backgrounds. I have also been able to take some of the conceptual theories that I have learned in my classes and apply them to the real world. I strongly believe that this experience has and will continue to shape and improve my time at UD. I’m excited for what comes next knowing that I am surrounded in this center by people who are both extremely passionate and motivated. This internship has definitely helped me improve how I communicate and work in a group setting and has definitely set me up for success after college.

Ashley Walker, Communication Management, Class of 2023:

I’m an intern for the Marketing and Communication cluster at the HRC. I have spent my time working here learning pertinent skills that I am thrilled to apply to my future career. I have been through multiple training events to further my skills and knowledge in facilitating dialogues, understanding relevant issues in the Dayton community, and my responsibilities to human rights. I apply all of what I have learned to writing blogs, creating content for social media, and attending HRC events. The HRC has surrounded me with a group of individuals that lead with compassion and strength to achieve their goals. I’m proud to say that I am able to further my education through the experiential opportunities presented at the HRC.

Anna Beebe, Human Rights Studies, Class of 2022:

I value my experience at the center so much because it helped me figure out how I want to use my degree to make a difference after I graduate. The Human Rights Studies Program is extremely unique and it has provided me with so much valuable knowledge that has allowed me to discover what I am passionate about and how I can use my skills to advocate for my rights and the rights of people all over the world. The Center has provided me with diverse experiences, including an internship with Counterpart International, an internship on the Marketing and Communications Team, and an internship with the Human Rights Studies Program. As I leave Dayton and the Human Rights Center, I am leaving a stronger advocate, critical thinker, storyteller, and individual. I know that wherever I end up in my career, my experiences here will shape the way I see the world and build relationships forever.

Janaya Thompson, Human Rights Major, Class of 2022:

My internship at the HRC started in February of 2022 as a part of the MarComm team. As a member of the team I work mostly on social media content which is something I have previous experiences with but not on a professional level. I think my work in this internship will be beneficial in the long run for my future career even if it doesn’t involve a lot of social media aspects. Working closely with a team is completely new for me but I enjoy not having to carry the workload myself and experiencing a tight knit community. Although my time at the HRC has been brief so far I can feel that it’ll have a lasting effect on my success in future endeavors.

Aaryonne Jackson, International Business Management, Class of 2025:

I joined the HRC in my 2nd semester here at UD. It has been an exciting and challenging learning experience. My work with the HRC has given me the opportunity to learn in depth about human rights issues that I was previously unaware of. It feels good to do my part and create an authentic voice in my community. Advocating for others that are impacted by an issue other than myself. I hope to stay with the HRC throughout the rest of my time at UD to become a stronger voice here on UD’s campus. I’m very excited to see what I learn and how I grow here as a part of the team at the HRC.

Lenny O’Connor, Communication and Political Science, Class of 2025:

I joined the HRC in late March as a Student Engagement Intern and just began to dive into my first project with a great coworker, Allie. Although my time at the HRC is just beginning, I love everything about the center and my work. I love my work space at the center and the environment, and love my current project collaborating with the Hanley Sustainability Institute. In just a short time so far, I have been able to work on my engagement and communication skills, as well as begin to manage a partnership with a campus organization. I look forward to my next three years with the center as I add more skills and get a chance to contribute even more to advancing human rights on campus, in the city, and globally!

Allie O’Gorman, Human Rights Studies and Criminal Justice, Class of 2024:

I joined the HRC in February 2022 as an intern on the Student Engagement team. Although my experience here has been short, I have already had the opportunity to begin impactful projects and work with amazing students that have taught me so much. I am currently working on a project in collaboration with the Hanley Sustainability Institute to partner and consult with Flyer Enterprises, which helped develop my leadership skills and overall business knowledge. The HRC is a unique place that offers students opportunities to work with hands-on advocacy and engagement work and connect with faculty and staff that are doing it everyday, which I know will leave me with strengthened communication, critical thinking, and academic skills that will support any path I take after graduation. 

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