Emory MDP holds strong partnerships that benefit its students through internship opportunities

Internships

The Emory MDP program is proud of its students for their excellence and commitment not only in the classroom but also in their service to partner organizations based in the Atlanta area. This service is performed during the academic year through various internships and assistantships, which engages about 80% of the currently enrolled MDP students. About half of these are paid positions, enabling students to earn some income in addition to practicing skills and gaining experience. Personnel from partner organizations also enrich the MDP curriculum by serving as instructors for training modules on professional skills.

Internships

The MDP program has a long-standing relationship with CARE USA and a dozen MDP students are currently working with them on issues such as food and nutrition, water and sanitation, gender empowerment, impact assessment, and corporate partnerships. Some students continue working with the same projects for their summer field practicum in the Global South, which allows them to gain perspective on how projects are managed at headquarters as well as implemented in the field. For example, Sarah Turkaly worked with CARE’s Pathways to Empowerment program both in the Atlanta office during the academic year and in northern Ghana in the summer. For her practicum Sarah contributed to the evaluation of the impact of the “Talking Book”, a tool designed to disseminate information about agriculture and gender issues in rural communities.  You can learn more by reading her post on CARE’s blog.

In addition to CARE, Emory University and the MDP program have strong linkages with The Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity. These partnerships also provide opportunities for students to experience real-life, day-to-day development practice.  Billy Rice is working with the Access to Justice in Liberia project within the Conflict Resolution program. The initiative seeks to harmonize the dual justice system in Liberia in ways that ensure equity as well as respect for both traditional norms and modern law. David Sabino is serving as an intern with Habitat for Humanity’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Response team. His project is developing a virtual Domestic Center for Disaster Resilience, intended to help Habitat affiliates build disaster preparedness capacity.

MDP students also engage with agencies that serve disenfranchised populations in domestic settings. The city of Atlanta has been at the forefront of urban conservation and sustainability efforts, and students have opportunities to get involved through service with partners such as the The Nature Conservancy and Truly Living Well. For example, Alexandra Gordon served as the project coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, by tracking critical progress milestones, providing research and GIS support, and assisting with event planning. Furthermore, for decades Atlanta has been a major destination of refugee resettlement and MDP students are currently serving with refugee assistance organizations such as New American Pathways and the International Rescue Committee. "I’ve learned a lot about the process of refugee resettlement and the seemingly endless hurdles they face. Now more than ever, IRC needs support; they really rely on interns to keep programs running, which means that we see many different steps along the process.” says Samantha Friedlander (’18) on her internship with IRC.

Internship

The Emory campus is also a rich source of many opportunities for MDP students. Students work as teaching and research assistants in various academic departments (Anthropology, Environmental Sciences, Global Health), the Development Studies Program, and the Center for Global Safe WASH. The Institute for Developing Nations (IDN) - an institution mandated to liaise between the university and the Carter Center and to bridge scholarship and practice, with a focus on the Global South - has also hired several MDP students for internships (and even full time employment upon graduation). “Through my internship, I have gained practical skills while also learning how my degree benefits my future work in the developing world.  I have learned so much from the women I work with about how to pursue your passions in a unique way while working towards global peace and development.” – Rachel Lastinger (’17) currently interning at IDN.


Top Photo: Maria Guzman, Sarah Turkaly, and Ruofei Chen (first, second, fourth from left) who intern at CARE and Alexandra Gordon (third from left) who serves with The Nature Conservancy
Middle Photo: Sarah Turkaly in Ghana while working with CARE's Pathways to Empowerment program.
Bottom Photo: Members of the Emory MDP class of 2017 (Billy Rice first from right, Rachel Lastinger second from left back row).