Written by: Riley Novak, BA candidate Global Studies/Spanish (2025)
Here at Washington University (WashU), there are a wealth of opportunities for students to participate in work they care deeply about; it is just a matter of finding the right fit. For me, I was fortunate enough to find the Center for Human Rights, Gender and Migration, and its brilliant, compassionate, and diligent staff and students. As we start the fall semester, I want to share my rewarding experience working for the center and why its role on our campus is irreplaceable.
I was first introduced to the center two years ago, through a professor who saw how it connected with my interests. I’ve long been passionate about issues affecting the refugee community in my hometown, Phoenix, and that furthered my interest in immigration and asylum law, as a way of enacting change on a structural level. The center’s mission and work closely align with how I hope to grow as a student and community member.
I was fortunate to be accepted onto the center’s Student Advisory Council and offered an internship position after interviewing with Director, Kim Thuy Seelinger, and Adriana Aramburu-Graypel, center manager. Within my first two weeks, I was already involved in working on internal systems and external projects, like our Asylum Support Initiative, which aims to support asylum applications for migrants in St. Louis.
I also joined the Student Advisory Council’s Events Committee, which was rewarding because it offered opportunities to collaborate with WashU graduate and undergraduate students. Together through our diverse and compelling experiences, we work to build bridges across different fields of study. In 2023, we assisted the center in hosting a dialogue about war and rape in Northern Ethiopia, which included working on promotional materials, coordination of catering from a local Ethiopian restaurant (Meskerem), and attendance logistics. We also developed our 2024-2025 events schedule, which is focused on forensic anthropology, and includes documentary screenings, volunteer events, and conversations with international speakers.
In the summer of 2023, I worked for the center full time, engaging in activities with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP). Professor Seelinger, currently on academic leave, serving as the Senior Coordinator for Gender-based Crimes and Crimes Against Children for the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC, was, at the time, revising its policies on gender-based violence and children in war. Through her affiliation, I was able to participate in the revision process, helping to coordinate consultations with international experts and compiling data on key contributions and suggestions. Their perspectives were inspiring for me, not just as a student, but also as an aspiring lawyer looking to learn from the experts’ dedication and skill. The updated Policy on Gender-based Crimes and the Policy on Children are now available online. I also assisted with planning USIP’s Missing Peace Symposium, which I attended alongside center colleagues in Washington D.C. The symposium addressed the state of conflict-related sexual violence in the last 10 years and facilitated workshops on how to overcome its challenges. Read more about the symposium experience.
Working with the Center for Human Rights, Gender and Migration has been an enriching experience that has allowed me to participate in the essential work that WashU faculty and students are doing in St. Louis and globally. Whether you are passionate about immigration, gender-based violence, or public health, the center can provide an opportunity to engage in those studies and with others who have similar and diverging interests. Students looking to get involved can apply by September 18 for the Student Advisory Council. Also, check out our upcoming events and sign up for our quarterly newsletter.