Two UVU Students Accepted for United Nations Internships

Yesterday the following press release was issued:

Two Utah Valley University students will spend this summer working as interns for the Worldwide Organization for Women’s United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland.

As part of the organization’s Global Education Opportunity Program, UVU students Nicolle Johnson and Jessica Burnham will spend three months as interns attending sessions of the Human Rights Council, the Commission on the Status of Women and the World Health Assembly.

“It is an amazing honor for UVU to have two of our students interning with the Worldwide Organization for Women at the United Nations in Geneva this summer,” said Susan Madsen, UVU’s Orin R. Woodbury Professor of Leadership and Ethics and the director of the Utah Women and Education Project.  “I have worked with both of these women for the last few years, and they have what it takes to work with leaders they will meet from around the world. This opportunity will show people at the UN that UVU is preparing students who can help change the world.”

Johnson, a senior from Virginia Beach, Va., is pursuing degrees in speech communication and business management with plans to obtain additional degrees in international relations and educational leadership. She will also be doing a grassroots project with the World YWCA for its quadrennial Council and International Summit in Zurich. The summit will focus on “Women Leading Change” and includes more than 1,000 participants from more than 100 countries.

“From this experience, I hope to develop a better understanding of how to advocate on behalf of women and minorities,” Johnson said.

Burnham, a senior from Yorba Linda, Calif., is majoring in integrated studies with emphases in peace and justice studies, sociology and gender studies, and plans to pursue a law degree in human rights. She will spend the grassroots portion of her internship working with the Girl Child Network in the United Kingdom to empower girls throughout the world who are severely impoverished and living in crisis.
“I hope to expand my vision of the world as it is and the world as it could be,” Burnham said. “I will be working with extremely passionate, ethically-minded people from all over the world and I look forward to their mentorship and guidance.”

Johnson currently serves as the administrative assistant for the Utah Women and Education Project, and Burnham is an intern. The project encourages women to obtain college degrees. While in Switzerland the two women will be sharing their experience through blogs and other social media means with other UVU students.
Johnson and Burnham plan to use their UN experience to encourage other UVU students with a commitment to women, minority and justice issues to pursue similar intern opportunities.

“Being able to participate in this internship is one of the highlights of my UVU education. I’ve learned here that one person can make a difference in the lives of so many, and through this internship I will have the chance to expand this knowledge so I can help change the lives of millions of people who are in desperate need of help but do not have a voice,” Johnson said.

The cost associated with both internships is about $20,000, and fundraising efforts are on-going. Contributions to help with the remaining costs can be made online to the United Nations Internship Fund through the UVU Foundation at http://www.uvu.edu/woodbury/scholarship.html. Checks can also be made payable to Dr. Julie Greer, Worldwide Organization for Women, and mailed to Utah Valley University, MS 119, Attn: Nicolle Johnson, 800 W. University Parkway, Orem, UT 84058.
For more information contact Mike Rigert, UVU communications manager, at 801-863-6807.