Category: Social Impact

It was the start of the new 2020 year, and my biggest problem was deciding whether to go to Ireland or South Africa during my search for a human rights internship through Connect-123. Of course, the Connect-123 coordinators guided me through my choices and helped me realize my values and career goals, so I was […]

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Molly Korn is about to start her new role as Chief of Staff for a member of the Michigan State Senate. But eight years ago Molly wasn’t quite on her way to a job at the State Senate. She was working as an intern in Cape Town at a local education organization, liaising with delegates from across the country in preparation for a large policy summit taking place in the Mother City.

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Rhodes College students Alex Schramkowski and Bryce Berry completed their summer internships in Cape Town. While they interned in two different fields — Bryce in finance and Alex at a cultural heritage institution — they both learned a lot about the world, and themselves. “This experience has taught me that my passions and aspirations can manifest […]

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Irish or not, each year thousands of people across the globe, go green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, a cultural and religious celebration to commemorate the death of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Are you green with envy that in some cities this day is declared a public holiday […]

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USC graduate student and Cape Town journalism intern Shaleeka Powell shares her experience working with local youth to produce a radio piece about the state of democracy in South Africa. Be the Change You Want to See. Wees om die verandering wat jy wil sien. Yiba lushintsho ofuna ukulubona! Change does not come easy. It is […]

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As the world mourns the loss of one of its most influential heroes, it’s important that we remember all that Nelson Mandela taught us over the course of his long life. A true visionary and a champion for equality, he showed us that change is possible and that even the harshest of life’s challenges can […]

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Jessica Definis, a nursing student at Northeastern University, shares her experience interning at a public hospital in Buenos Aires. What was a typical day at work like? We began the morning by preparing all patient medications, IV fluid orders, and any possible tube feeds. We would assess our patients, take their vital signs and administer […]

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Andrew Schleeter is a Connect-123 youth developement and sports intern in Cape Town.  He shares with us some insights gained by working with an organization that supports and empowers youth through sports and mentorship in one of the most disadvantaged communities in the area. There are many facets that make up the townships just outside […]

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2012 Connect-123 Scholarship recipient Sally Amkoa is headed to Cape Town for an Economic Development internship this month.   After spending three months in Costa Rica and 3 days in Panama early this year, I thought I could simply check studying abroad off my bucket list and move on to better things. However, I fell in […]

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We recently caught up with five alumni of the Social Entrepreneurship Study Abroad Program offered by Connect-123 in partnership with the University of Cape Town and we asked them about the impact this experience has had on their personal and career development. But first – let’s introduce them! Hugh Moore, University of Georgia 2011, SEP participant 2010 […]

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