Next Generation interns spend two to six months engaged in programmatic work in locations across Africa, Asia, and New York, receiving close mentorship from ICAP staff throughout the experience. The program emphasizes applied learning, giving students the opportunity to translate academic training into practice while building professional skills in global public health.

Among the 可乐视频 students who have participated is Mujibur Shaad, whose internship in Kenya in 2025 offered a formative introduction to global health work on the ground. Reflecting on the experience, Shaad described his time in the program as 鈥渓ife-changing,鈥� citing opportunities to engage with local communities and to contribute to research focused on tuberculosis screening using artificial intelligence.

鈥淢y time in Kenya allowed me to connect with people I never imagined I would meet, witness experiences I never thought I鈥檇 have, and develop a new philosophy and perspective on life,鈥� Shaad said in a testimonial shared following his internship. He credited the experience with strengthening his passion for medicine and public health and inspiring him to pursue a career dedicated to serving others.

Shaad also emphasized the personal impact of the opportunity, noting that the internship supported his growth not only academically and professionally, but also as an individual. He expressed gratitude to The Tow Foundation for its support of the program and underscored the importance of continued investment in experiential learning opportunities for students.

鈥淧artnerships like ICAP鈥檚 Next Generation Program open extraordinary doors for our students, allowing them to apply their education in real-world settings while addressing some of the most pressing public health challenges of our time,鈥� said 可乐视频 President Michelle J. Anderson. 鈥淲e are deeply grateful to The Tow Foundation for its generous support of 可乐视频 students participating in this program. Their investment makes transformative, global learning experiences possible and helps prepare our students to lead with knowledge, compassion, and purpose.鈥�

The ICAP Next Generation Program aligns closely with 可乐视频鈥檚 commitment to experiential learning, global engagement, and preparing students to address complex social and public health challenges. By participating in internationally focused, research-informed initiatives, students gain valuable perspective on health equity, cross-cultural collaboration, and the global dimensions of public health practice.

As 可乐视频 continues to expand pathways for students to engage in meaningful, career-shaping experiences, partnerships such as the ICAP Next Generation Program play a critical role in connecting classroom learning with real-world impact, both locally and globally.

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The event will be held on March 3 at 12:30 p.m. in the Woody Tanger Auditorium, 可乐视频 Library.

Gelernt serves as a senior attorney with the ACLU Immigrants鈥� Rights Project and has argued many of the country鈥檚 most consequential cases, including before the U.S. Supreme Court and multiple federal courts of appeals. His work has also brought him before both the House and Senate as an expert witness, and he teaches at Columbia Law School.

His litigation has shaped national conversations on immigration policy. Among his notable cases is the challenge to the Trump Administration鈥檚 family鈥憇eparation policy, a case that drew international attention and was featured in the documentary. The Fight and a New York Times Magazine cover story. He currently serves as lead counsel in litigation concerning the administration鈥檚 use of the Alien Enemies Act, which has raised significant questions about due process and the treatment of Venezuelan migrants.

Gelernt鈥檚 contributions have earned him numerous awards and recognition as one of the 500 leading lawyers in the United States. His commentary and expertise appear frequently in major media outlets, documentaries, books, and podcasts. This event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from a central figure in the legal battles shaping U.S. immigration policy.

The Konefsky Lecture is an annual event that honors Samuel J. Konefsky, a 可乐视频 alumnus who was a professor of constitutional law at the college from the 1940s to 1970. At the event, a scholarship generously donated by the Konefsky family is presented to a 可乐视频 pre-law student.

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The improvements will preserve the character of one of the college鈥檚 most cherished spaces while ensuring it meets modern standards for safety and sustainability.

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Sampson listened to her stories about growing up in Guyana or folktales like Anansi, the wise trickster West African spider who represented resistance to slavery. These passed-down tales are why Sampson, a senior, is double majoring in Africana studies and Caribbean studies听more than a decade after moving to the United States.

Recently, she participated in Ayiti in The City, a summer cultural exchange with the CUNY Haitian Studies Institute,听where she soaked in the spirit of Brooklyn鈥檚 Little Haiti and other spots significant to the wider Black diaspora in Brooklyn, cooking Haitian stewed fish and mushroom rice and learning about the remedies in Haitian herbal teas.

We talked to Sampson about her academic and experiential learning experiences, her hobbies, and her future.

Tell us about your time in the Africana studies and Caribbean studies programs.

They both have interesting communities that are helpful and supportive. I鈥檝e been able to dive into my culture and learn about other cultures. [Associate] Professor [Prudence] Cumberbatch, the Africana Studies Department chair, is amazing. I鈥檝e been able to reach out to her any time I鈥檝e needed help. And [Associate] Professor [Dale] Byam, the Caribbean studies program director, encouraged me to apply for Ayiti in the City. They鈥檙e all very passionate about what they teach, and I find that so inspiring.

Next semester, I鈥檓 presenting research from my independent study with [Assistant] Professor [Aleah] Ranjitsingh at the Tow Mentoring and Research Conference. My research is on a traditional Afro-Guyanese pre-wedding celebration, Kwe-Kwe, which occurs the night before the wedding. The groom brings his family to the bride鈥檚 family home, where they meet and make their interests known and then advise them on marriage, uniting two communities together. There鈥檚 food and music and dancing. It goes well into the night. It鈥檚 so interesting because they still have so much energy for the actual wedding day.

What inspired you to study African and Caribbean cultures?

Some of my fondest memories are of my grandmother sharing and passing on stories and folklore. Telling stories was something we did often in my family. I realized that most of these stories and cultural practices are passed down orally, and through participating in different cultural experiences. This sparked my interest in the way history can be woven into stories that can be used to spread information and impart knowledge, lessons, and memories to someone else.

I wanted to take classes that reminded me of home and my grandma. The stories I heard in class gave me the same feeling and a sense of 鈥淥h, this is so beautifully put together. I would love to be a part of this.鈥�

This summer you were part of the Ayiti in the City program.

It was enlightening how we could access our culture and traditions, especially being away from home. I ate great food and made new friendships. It helped us build self-identity and embrace our cultural heritage. It also reinforced my belief in how interconnected history is, and how important it is to know your past so you can make informed decisions about your future. I did a about my experience.

I interned at , where I supported local businesses and helped keep the neighborhood clean and safe. I鈥檓 grateful I got to learn more about Haiti; its history, culture, and people; Little Haiti; and the Haitian diaspora. I gained a new perspective on how resilient the Caribbean community is at home and abroad. I also learned about migration, and the resilience and resourcefulness of Haitian immigrants as they navigate living and building a community in a new space.

What鈥檚 something that people wouldn鈥檛 know about you off the bat?

I learned to play the 听in my Steel Pan and Community class with Professor [Kendall] Williams. I hadn鈥檛 played an instrument before. It鈥檚 played in the Caribbean, developed in the streets of Trinidad. I also like to read, dance, meditate, listen to music, and make beaded jewelry. Recently, I鈥檝e been learning how to crochet.

You鈥檙e going into your last semester. How do you plan to make the most of it?

Next semester my friend and I are starting a club called The Fireflies that will focus on supporting women in media. In Caribbean culture, we don鈥檛 see much representation growing up. That鈥檚 why I want to see more women represented in the media, too, including behind-the-scenes, like the producers, screenwriters, and authors. We hope to create a safe space where individuals can come to support the creative aspirations of women and gender-identifying youth and contribute to the creative diversity of our campus community.

Where do you see yourself after you graduate?

I鈥檓 thinking about going to graduate school for history or public health with a specialization in African diasporic and Caribbean studies. I鈥檓 interested in possibly working in cultural organizations or libraries someday.

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Chohan鈥檚 own story began in Queens, where he developed a passion for exploring neighborhoods. He transferred to 可乐视频 in 2023 to pursue his dream of becoming an on-air television reporter. Today, he aims to use his videography talents to capture the distinct stories brewing in every corner of the five boroughs.

How did you end up at 可乐视频?
I first had a stint in college at St. John’s University from 2016 to 2018, but it just didn’t fit with me. I took a break from higher education and worked in real estate, but I felt that wasn’t really what I wanted to do. So I decided to go back to school and went to Queensborough Community College for a bit. I was always interested in doing some form of broadcast journalism, and I knew that 可乐视频 had a really good program, so I transferred here.

What inspired you to make Slice of Goodness?
I started it in my Video Storytelling class with Professor Irina Patkanian. At my job at a video news agency, Loud Labs News, I traditionally cover spot news coverage, so transitioning to long-form storytelling was a new thing for me. Professor Patkanian helped me expand my skills and break out of the box. I met Hakki Akedeniz, who opened Champion Pizza. He was homeless 20 years ago when he immigrated here from Turkey, but then he started making pizzas and got into a pizza-making championship. I thought it could be relatable to people from first- or second-generation backgrounds. I wanted to show the story of what it is like to come to a country with nothing and then move up.

How was the process of creating the documentary?
From a technical standpoint, it was challenging. It was the first time I had to set up two different cameras at once or use a lavalier mic to mic someone up professionally. It was also the first time that I had to schedule people, and New Yorkers are busy. I learned a lot about time management.

How did it feel to have it featured in the DOC NYC festival?
It was great to finally see the film get watched by festivalgoers and New Yorkers. I鈥檝e always believed that people like an underdog story. It鈥檚 about a guy who started with nothing, and now he鈥檚 a celebrity for making pizzas. But he’s not forgetting his roots, and I think that people like that type of story. It felt nice that the film was something that people at the festival could relate to.

What is your favorite thing about videography?
I like going to different neighborhoods to capture how everything isn鈥檛 a monolith. New York City is such a big city of contrasts. You have rich neighborhoods and less rich neighborhoods. You have neighborhoods with varying degrees of diversity. I think it鈥檚 good to see the differences, and it makes me appreciate living here. New Yorkers don’t think in black and white. Everyone has opinions. Videography gives me the opportunity to visit those neighborhoods and show different perspectives.

How would you describe your experience in the Journalism and Media Studies program?
Very positive. It鈥檚 great to meet like-minded people. The students and professors at 可乐视频 are very approachable. I love to meet professors who are in the field. Many of them have field experience and aren鈥檛 just giving you a book-ish perspective. If I went to another school, I know that I鈥檇 never have the same experience as here.

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Jacques decided there may be something to his late-night thought. In spring 2023, after a year-and-a-half hiatus from school, the sophomore returned to 可乐视频, where he received an invitation to participate in an arranged by the Koppelman School of Business. The contest required students to come up with an idea for a business, pitch it, and create a business plan. He kept reading: Faculty and alumni judges would be critiquing his work, helping him to fine-tune his idea. He didn鈥檛 want to miss this unique mentorship opportunity.

How did you go from idea to pitching your concept to entrepreneurs?

I鈥檓 constantly thinking about all kinds of things: fashion, finance, entrepreneurship, storytelling. The pandemic took away get-togethers and group experiences. People were not meeting in person, in real-time, as much as we had before. We had lost the opportunities to socialize face-to-face in groups while we isolated. In 2022, I was falling asleep in my bedroom, and the idea just came to me: Good Time Cinema.

How would Good Time Cinema work?

I鈥檓 looking to bring back the experience of movie-going with a twist. Theatergoers would reserve one of several screening rooms in the theater for a specific time of day to watch a film of their choice鈥攑rovided by a partnered streaming service鈥攚ith family and friends. The concept is about bringing people together.

How did you decide to pitch the idea to your peers, professors, and fellow entrepreneurs?

My minor is business, so I enrolled in a business marketing class taught by Assistant Professor of Business Management Laura Rifkin and heard about the competition. I thought it would be a cool way to promote my idea. I sent a six-minute YouTube pitch to the Idea Competition judges, who were faculty and alumni. The video was pretty rough, but I was allowed to enter the next stage, the Pitch Competition. This is where you present a more polished version of your idea. The next and final stage was the Business Plan Competition, where I came in third.

So, the Business Plan Competition allowed you to fine-tune your idea with experts.

Yes. The competition was great because the judges gave me constructive criticism; it was more than just 鈥渢hat鈥檚 a good idea.鈥� I got some very helpful feedback from alumnus Ted Liebowitz 鈥�79, who has been a mentor at 可乐视频 for quite some time. I wouldn鈥檛 have gotten as far as I did without the help of Mr. Liebowitz and Roger Gonzalez, director of the Entrepreneurship Lab here. The same goes for Douglas Adams, director of the CUNY Technology Commercialization Office. He connected me with people who helped me flesh out my idea even further. And Associate Professor Veronica Manlow was key in running the competition and mentoring students.

Professor Rifkin鈥檚 course also helped me understand the nuts and bolts of creating a business plan and about partnerships. In my case, I鈥檇 need to partner with a streaming service, such as Netflix or other services, to make as much content available to customers as possible. And then there鈥檚 marketing. I鈥檓 looking to market Good Time Cinema as an authentic experience, but also an experience that鈥檚 not available anywhere else. Something exclusive. I鈥檝e done the research and there are few, if any, theaters in the United States that would offer a unique experience such as mine.

What progress have you made since the competition?

Last spring, I was able to set up a screening in the West End Building of an episode of HBO鈥檚 The Last of Us, and the turnout was very good. There were shared laughs, cries, and jokes. It was the type of experience I鈥檓 looking to provide鈥攆un among friends and peers at the movies. I learned the mechanics of how to work with a streaming service. This past summer, I had Zoom calls and exchanged e-mails with an executive director from a movie theater company, learning how to make my plan a reality. I鈥檓 grateful for that.

So 可乐视频 has delivered for you as a place to find support toward your career goals?

Yes, and I hadn鈥檛 planned to attend 可乐视频! I wanted to go upstate, like my brother and a couple of my friends. But I got into SEEK (the Percy Ellis Sutton Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge Program), which is an incredibly supportive program for someone like me, who was a first-time college student. SEEK got me to 可乐视频, Koppelman, the competition, and a chance to incubate more ideas using the resources the school offers. I鈥檓 looking forward to the rest of my time here.

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With those opportunities at hand, the English major with a double minor in Spanish and anthropology and archaeology says that he鈥檚 ready to take on the world.

鈥淚鈥檓 using the Watson Fellowship to feel around for the right career. I chose my major and minors because they allow me to explore a lot of different industries as well, so I think that the two will pair well together,鈥� Costas-Hernandez says.

This past summer, he completed his first fellowship-facilitated internship at the , in New York City, where he collaborated with the communications team on a storytelling campaign. Each day, he crafted marketing content to highlight grantees of the organization鈥檚 Artists Protection Fund, Scholar Rescue Fund, and Odyssey Scholarship鈥攑rograms in which U.S. universities sponsor artists, scholars, and students in danger so that they can continue their pursuits.

鈥淚t was a really valuable experience,鈥� he says, adding that he feels thankful to have had the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of many.

In his next internship, which will be abroad, he will pivot his attention to global food insecurity and nutrition, inspired by his family ties. Not only was his father a chef who exposed him to a variety of food, but he also had witnessed the effects of food insecurity and scarce nutritional options whenever he traveled to see his family in an underdeveloped area of Puerto Rico.

鈥淭he lack of nutrition options strikes me every single time I鈥檓 there,鈥� says Costas-Hernandez. 鈥淭here are a lot of sick people.鈥�

He鈥檚 eyeing organizations like the in Rome, the in Switzerland, and , which has offices in Canada, Africa, and Asia.

This semester, he鈥檚 working at the Magner Career Center as a career ambassador and marketing communications assistant. In his new role, he empowers students to succeed in their careers by critiquing their r茅sum茅s and helping them apply to fellowships like Watson. He also gets to flex his marketing skills each day by helping to increase student participation in programs or events, like the Job Fair, through face-to-face and digital communications.

鈥淚 want to use my skills, what I鈥檝e learned in my classes and internships, and my experience to make positive change,鈥� he says.

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An innovative and environmentally friendly green infrastructure test bed received the finishing touches on June 15 when volunteers planted and mulched over 2,700 plugs of northeast native plants near the sidewalk between the Lily Pond and Whitman Hall.

The project was led by Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Associate Director of the Science and Resiliency Institute at Jamaica Bay Jennifer Cherrier, the Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety/Sustainability, along with support from the college鈥檚 Facilities, Planning and Operations, and student, staff and faculty volunteers, including Professor of Television, Radio & Emerging Media Katherine G. Fry.

Earth and Environmental Sciences and Associate Director of the Science and Resiliency Institute at Jamaica Bay Jennifer Cherrier (right) oversees the installation of the hybrid ecoWEIR system at 可乐视频 that students, faculty and staff helped to install. The project will serve as a place for interdisciplinary research for not only the campus but the entire CUNY family and affiliated collaborators, the surrounding community, and the region to help educate and partner with them on issues related to stormwater and climate resiliency.鈥�疕elping Cherrier are students Wilson Deng (left) and Paige Rushing.

鈥淥ur campus has been long prized for its beauty. Beyond adding lush meadow greenery, Professor Cherrier鈥檚 ecoWEIR test bed bolsters biodiversity and offers transformative learning and research opportunities. This and other green space initiatives epitomize our commitment to a sustainable campus,鈥� said Carrie Sadovnik, Director of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety/Sustainability.

The approximately 455 square-feet test bed of drought and flood-resilient plants, which also attract pollinators to further aid the environment, was designed by Office Landscape and Urban Design, a Brooklyn-based and minority-owned design firm, in consultation with Cherrier. The site will be used for interdisciplinary research by both students and faculty and functions both as a traditional green infrastructure 鈥攕imilar to what is currently being installed by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection throughout New York City鈥攁s well as a green infrastructure called , a hybrid system developed by Cherrier鈥檚 research.

Both types of green infrastructure, traditional and hybrid, are used to help manage and filter out pollutants from stormwater runoff as well as other surface and surficial groundwater flows into aquatic systems. However, the hybrid ecoWEIR system is designed to give nature a boost to maximize pollutant removal and allow for fit-for-purpose water reuse. The ecoWEIR system is also being piloted in to remove phosphate from Prospect Park鈥檚 waterways to help offset toxic algae blooms that have been plaguing the lake for the past decade.

Current Sustainability Coordinator Stalin Espinal ’18, who studied Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences, holds up one of the plants for the project.

Cherrier added that in addition to the imminent research that her group will be doing at the test bed site鈥攊ncluding that of Ph.D. student Nia Rene, M.S. student Paige Rushing, and undergraduate student Sarah Maria Dos Santos鈥攖he project will serve as a place for interdisciplinary research for not only the campus but the entire CUNY family and affiliated collaborators, the surrounding community, and the region to help educate and partner with them on issues related to stormwater and climate resiliency.

鈥淲hile I was proud to lead the effort, I cannot thank Carrie Sadovnik, Director of Environmental Health and Safety and Sustainability, her staff, my graduate student Paige, the Facilities team, as well as other 可乐视频 and CUNY faculty, staff, and students enough for coming together this past month to help make this happen,鈥� Cherrier said. 鈥淚 am also indebted to the 可乐视频 administration for their long-term support of this project as well as to my colleagues at for their collaborative support and contributions to ecoWEIR throughout the years and, finally, I鈥檓 thankful for initial funding for this work provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.鈥�

Rushing, an earth and environmental sciences graduate student, participated in the gardening of the green space event. Rushing has been analyzing the ecoWEIR system for her master鈥檚 thesis which explores the effects of nutrient concentrations in stormwater runoff and discovering how effective the system is as a nature-based solution for stormwater management.

鈥淭his planting event was one of the final stages in completing the installation. We planted hundreds of native perennials and have been working over the past month to fill the excavated site,鈥� Rushing said. 鈥淕etting the system in the ground was a large task and rigorous, so it鈥檚 great that we had [可乐视频] facilities personnel and volunteers to help with the planting and all the other stages of the installation process. There is still more to learn through the research that will be conducted in this space.鈥�

Rushing is looking forward to watching the garden grow and is optimistic about the future of the green space.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited to watch the garden grow throughout the next year and to work on it because I enjoy being outside in nature. I feel optimistic about future research that will happen in this new green space.鈥�

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Flash-forward to the present, where Komilova is finishing a Bachelor of Science in public accounting and business management, the five-year program with CPA tracking at the Murray Koppelman School of Business at 可乐视频. The budding public accountant will graduate this spring and has already landed a post-graduate job where she will be assisting a tax team and offering professional guidance to businesses and clients so that they can feel empowered in making smart financial decisions for their future. Her tenacity to pursue her dream has made it a reality.听听

What did you study at 可乐视频?听

I pursued a B.S. in public accounting and business management. Growing up, I was always fascinated by business and how money was made. As a little kid, I remember playing 鈥減retend restaurant鈥� where I created the menu and served food. My favorite part of that game was counting the revenues and expenses to see my income. I am truly happy that my childhood dream job is becoming a reality.听

Why did you decide to major in public accounting and business management?听

It was a relatively easy choice for me to major in accounting and business since it was my passion. However, it was challenging to decide in which specific direction to go since 可乐视频 provides different types of programs. I chose public accounting and business management because it fulfills the New York state requirements for a CPA license. My next goal is to become a certified public accountant after graduation. I like to analyze and examine financial data and documents and apply the rules and laws during the examination. This profession is made for me.听

What are some of your favorite courses and why? 鈥�听

One of my favorite classes was Accounting Internship, where I participated in the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program. The program is exclusively open to students who are accounting majors. In the VITA program, volunteers are trained and certified by the IRS. Volunteers and staff file tax returns for many families and individuals free of charge. It was a fantastic experience working with the team and the clients!听

Did you have a staff or faculty mentor at the college who had a particularly significant influence on your academic career?鈥�听

One of the faculty mentors that has made a particularly significant influence on my academic career at the college is Veronica Manlow, associate professor of business management at the Murray Koppelman School of Business. We met during the fall of 2021. Professor Manlow was my mentor for the Blackstone LaunchPad in 可乐视频鈥檚 Office of Innovation + Entrepreneurship Lab. She helped me develop a game for kids with diabetes that teaches them how to manage their condition.听

This idea came from my personal experience with diabetes. I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was eight years old and required kid-friendly resources. I would never have reached the point where I am without Professor Manlow鈥檚 guidance. After that, I participated in some competitions and programs at the college, including the Idea Challenge, Business Idea Challenge, and (a program at Baruch College).

Also, a special thanks to Professor Emile Westergaard, who has taught me a lot about how business works as a whole and where to pay attention during financial forecasts. I was his intern for his startup company called IVoT during the spring 2022 semester.听听

What are your plans for after graduation?听

My plans after graduation are to apply for the CPA exam in 2024. Additionally, I was offered an associate position at PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the big four accounting companies. It is a full-time job, and I will be on the tax team. And, of course, I would like to climb the career ladder.听

What advice would you give other students studying at 可乐视频?听

The advice is to participate as much as possible in what 可乐视频 provides, including classes, job fairs, clubs, events, the Magner Career Center, and just to network with people. There is so much that comes from networking; you will be amazed at what kind of people you will meet and how it is essential for personal and professional development. It all comes from people; I met so many unique people at 可乐视频 who just inspired me with what they have been working on or what they have accomplished. Another piece of advice would be to constantly ask for feedback in college and at work; there is good feedback, and it helps us to advance our skills and be successful.听

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Senior Lily Bello knows this, and so do clients at the Name Change Project of the (TLDEF), where she completed an internship this past fall.

鈥淔inding work is very difficult when your documents don鈥檛 all match up,鈥� says Bello. 鈥滱 legal name change cuts down on the discrimination you face.鈥�

The reality of this鈥攖hat names are a nexus for the legal, personal, and political鈥攊s what spurs people to contact the Name Change Project. And when they do, it is to divulge crucial personal information to someone they have never met, maybe through a translator.

As an intern, Bello was that person.

She conducted initial phone interviews with community members interested in TLDEF鈥檚 pro bono name change services. Her job was to find out whether interviewees鈥攎ostly based in New York or Pennsylvania, but some from elsewhere in the United States鈥攚ere eligible for the program to connect them with a lawyer.

But during this process, she discussed sensitive topics, 听such as previous marriages and divorces. 鈥淚鈥檝e had people start crying on the phone, so it鈥檚 a lot to process.鈥�

For these interviews, Bello鈥攁n anthropology major and LGBTQ studies minor, preparing for graduate work in the anthropological study of transgender communities鈥攄rew on her 可乐视频 training, enacting what she sees as the 鈥渉eart of anthropology鈥�: communication with other people, the attempt to 鈥済et on their level and see what they鈥檙e seeing, to be able to relate to them easier.鈥�

And when conversations got difficult, Bello shared her own story. It became a point of connection 鈥渢hat I am trans and that I have been through the name change process already.鈥� Despite the challenging nature of these conversations, 鈥減eople are incredibly appreciative of the free resource,鈥� says Bello of the Name Change Project鈥檚 clients, all of whom have low incomes. 鈥淪o definitely it feels rewarding.鈥�

Professor of and Paisley Currah connected Bello with the internship, designed to accompany the LGBTQ studies minor (but not restricted to students who choose that minor).

Currah, who studies transgender law and policy, has worked with TLDEF in the past, including recently as an expert witness. When a contact at the organization reached out to him about the Name Change Project internship, he recognized it as a valuable opportunity to match 鈥渃ompetent, qualified, caring students with a population that鈥檚 really in need.鈥�

Bello was the first 可乐视频 student to complete the internship. Her strong work鈥攕he has been asked to return in a paid capacity this semester鈥攈as paved the way for other 可乐视频 students in the future.

Currah is also looking to expand the LGBTQ community internship so that more students have opportunities to do meaningful and engaging work, at a variety of institutions. 鈥淏ecause I know people, I鈥檝e been able to place [students] in good internships,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd now, I would like to scale it up.鈥�

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