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Annual Internship Symposium

Students from the preceding summer’s intern cohort share how they addressed human rights issues with the campus community at the annual Internship Symposium, It is a great opportunity for students to reflect on how Human Rights Internships can impact coursework, research projects, and career decisions.

Student presentations are grouped into panels by issue area, and each student gives an individual presentation. A Pozen Center Faculty Board member, affiliated faculty, or alumnus moderates each panel. This daylong event also serves as a moment of transition: a farewell to the previous year’s internship cohort and a welcoming of the newest Human Rights Interns!

The symposium offers a chance to learn about human rights in practice. The event is free and open to the public.

Internship Symposium Highlights

Human Rights in Practice Internship Symposium (November 2023)

November 14, 2023 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Summer 2023 human rights interns present how they addressed human rights issues and what they learned about human rights practice in their fieldwork and internships. Julie Epplin-Zapf, an intern alumnae from 2015, joined Summer 2023 and 2024 interns for a networking lunch.

Human Rights in Practice Internship Symposium (January 2023)

January 20, 2023 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Summer 2022 human rights interns present how they addressed human rights issues and what they learned about human rights practice in their fieldwork and internships.

Human Rights in Practice Internship Symposium (January 2022)

February 4, 2022 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Summer 2021 human rights interns present how they addressed human rights issues and what they learned about human rights practice in their fieldwork and internships.

Human Rights in Practice Internship Symposium (Autumn 2020)

November 13, 2020 | 10 a.m.–5:15 p.m.

Our first-ever virtual Symposium featured presentations by 2020 Human Rights Interns and mid-career alumni from past internship cohorts, who joined us on Zoom from across the country to talk about their journeys.

Human Rights in Practice Internship Symposium (Winter 2020)

January 31, 2020 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Presentations by 2019 Human Rights Interns and a keynote alumni panel featuring mid-career alumni from past internship cohorts.

Human Rights in Practice Internship Symposium (2019)

February 1, 2019  |  10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Presentations by 2018 Human Rights Interns and a keynote lecture by Tala Manassah AB’03, AM’04, Deputy Executive Director of the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility.

Human Rights in Practice Internship Symposium (2018)

January 26, 2018  |  10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Presentations by 2017 Human Rights Interns, a keynote lecture by Zoe VanGelder AB’09, and a panel discussion about human rights careers with Pozen Center alumni.

Human Rights in Practice Internship Symposium (2017)

January 27, 2017  |  10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Presentations by 2016 Human Rights Interns and a keynote lecture by Indivar Dutta-Gupta AB’05, Co-Executive Director, Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality.

Human Rights in Practice Internship Symposium (2016)

January 22, 2016  |  10 a.m.–5 p.m.

At our first full-day symposium, Rohini J. Haar AB’01, MD’05 gave the keynote talk, “From Chicago to a Career: What a Human Rights Internship Can Mean.” Dr. Haar is an emergency medicine physician with expertise in health and human rights. Following her talk, 23 students from the 2015 internship cohort presented on six thematic panels, moderated by faculty members.

Human Rights in Practice Internship Symposium (2015)

February 20, 2015 | 12–5 p.m.

Our inaugural symposium was a half-day event where ten students from the 2014 cohort prepared reflections to present to the 2015 cohort, students, faculty, staff, and community members.