I first became interested in the Carter Center after reading about Rosalynn Carter’s mental health initiative while researching the reduction of stigma pertaining to mental illness. An internship with the Democracy program at the Carter Center gave me the unique chance to combine my interests in policy, disability rights, and international standards. My internship focused on examining the gaps in international law pertaining to persons with disabilities, and how elections can be made more accessible so that persons with disabilities can gain representation in society. My tasks included writing policy briefings, updating online resources for persons with disabilities, and translating documents into French. One of the most rewarding projects I had was developing a quantitative analysis of election observers’ findings in order to establish a relationship between electoral integrity and election results. I now hope to continue this work by studying social policy in graduate school.
This summer has been an incredibly fulfilling life experience. Outside of work, I was able to participate in Habitat for Humanity. I attended Sunday Bible School taught by Jimmy Carter, visited his childhood home, and had personal conversations with him pertaining to my future aspirations. It was an honor to learn from President Carter as I have always admired his dedication to human rights and his unwavering commitment to public service. I hope to emulate his dedication to public service.
The Carter Center does an excellent job of providing interns with concrete skills that are not necessarily taught in college environments. Additionally, interns are exposed weekly to global leaders such as the ex-Prime Minister of Canada, Ambassador Peters, and Former Minister of the Interior Juan Fernando. Through the Carter Center, interns are also able to participate in Habitat for Humanity, attend Sunday Bible School taught by Jimmy Carter, visit his childhood home, etc.