Summer Wrap Up with Our 2023 DEIA Interns

We are sad to say goodbye to our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Antiracism Interns and thankful for the hard work they invested this summer to help fulfill the IES Abroad mission.

Erick Fajardo-Ortega and Natalia Baez are both dynamic Posse Scholars and their work will help spotlight international education as a career path and allow our programs to be excellent opportunities for Posse Scholars to study abroad.

For IES Abroad, building pathways to study abroad from organizations like Posse and others is one way we continue to live out our mission of educating students to become global leaders.

Get to Know the Interns

Erick Fajardo-Ortega | Tulane University | DEIA Intern Summer 2023

"Working at IES Abroad opened my eyes to the entirely foreign yet fascinating field of global education. During my internship I was able to nurture and develop important skills that will serve me no matter where I go. It was inspiring to see that DEIA plays an important role at IES Abroad, and even more inspiring to be a part of a team that is actively aiming to make studying abroad a more inclusive and accessible experience."

Natalia Baez | Lafayette College | DEIA Intern Summer 2023

"Participating in the IES Abroad internship was a transformative experience that left a lasting impact on me. Through this program, I honed my abilities to curate valuable resources for future study abroad students, empowering them to embark on their own life-changing journeys with confidence and ease."

Skills Development & Hands-on Experience

Natalia and Erick worked closely with our Diversity Recruiting and Advising team, embarking on important projects and learning key skills, including

Better understanding of IES Abroad, the study abroad field at large, and our DEIA initiatives
Data-based research techniques
Exploring the barriers to entry to study abroad for underrepresented students and strategies to assist those students
Presentation skills, including presentation development and presenting to staff
Working virtually in a professional environment

As part of their joint final project to wrap up the summer, Erick and Natalia presented a comprehensive background on how to elevate the representation and interest around study abroad in non-European locations, like Chile.

They led informative discussions with Center faculty members to gather insight about student experiences and gain an understanding of life in Chile. They spoke with IES Abroad staff to gauge an understanding of their firsthand experience visiting the site and sought feedback regarding strategies that staff thought could be implemented.

Take it from Quinn McMurtrey, a Posse alum who now serves as the Diversity Relations Manager:

“Natalia and Erick both worked on incredibly meaningful projects during their seven weeks with us. They conducted research and built repositories that we’ll be able to use in the months and years to come as we work to fulfill IES Abroad’s diversity commitment. They were natural additions to our team and it was great to see them work through different scenarios and problems on their own projects and together on their joint project. Even in casual conversations, they added amazing insights that gave us new perspectives on the work that we do daily. I’m so thankful to all of the IES Abroad employees that made Natalia and Erick feel welcome and through sharing their expertise, helped open their minds to all of the potential career opportunities that exist within the field of international education.”
Quinn McMurtrey | Posse Alum | Diversity Relations Manager

We can't believe Natalia and Erick's summer internship has come to an end!! If you're a Posse Scholar and interested in interning with IES Abroad, please reach out to Quinn McMurtrey . Learn more about DEIA initiatives and our commitment to diversity.

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