Hello everyone! I wanted to write a little about myself and why I have chosen to pursue this internship. To start, my name is Kelsie and I am in the final year of my graduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin where I am pursuing two master’s degrees in Public Affairs and Social Work. Part of the curriculum for the Social Work degree is to complete two field placements–which are essentially unpaid internships that take place during the school year and under the supervision of certified social workers. For most students, these are completed in Austin. However, my goal has been for many years now to work in international crisis response and when the opportunity arose to work in Geneva, Switzerland at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), I was immediately drawn to it. Unfortunately, the cost of living in Geneva is very high in addition to tuition, travel costs, and day to day expenses–especially because the internship is unpaid. The total is expected to exceed $20,000.

I will try to keep this brief in order to save some of your time but being chosen for this internship feels like a dream come true. The work done at the UNHCR is life-saving and life-changing at the global scale and works with populations facing extreme crises. More than anything, I want to do good in my lifetime and this offers the opportunity to not only learn and grow in my skills, but also to impact lives in a way that is meaningful and lasting. This type of work requires individuals with the skills that I have spent a lifetime growing and the past three years perfecting, as well as individuals who are confident and thick-skinned. I know I can do this and that I can do it well.

I want to thank everyone who considers donating to help ease the financial burden of completing this internship. I want you to know that I know how blessed I am to have been able to pursue such high degrees of education and to have been chosen to be a part of this amazing organization even for just four months. If you have any questions for me or would like to hear more about my journey and how I have arrived at this moment, I would love to chat!