Name: Julia Hernandez

Class Year: 2020

Hometown: Bluffton, South Carolina

Major(s): Sociology and Anthropology, French

Minors or Concentrations: Poverty and Human Capability Studies

Project Summary: I will be taking classes at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota as part of the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute. PPIA is a seven-week program designed to prepare students from diverse backgrounds for graduate study and careers in public policy. The JSI curriculum includes economics, statistics, domestic/international policy issues and leadership topics, all designed to sharpen the students’ quantitative, analytic and communication skills. Participants also participate in other extracurricular activities that broaden both their academic and professional horizons. Altogether, the program provides students with skills vital for admission into the top graduate programs in public and international affairs.

How did W&L prepare you for this opportunity? W&L has provided me with a vast array of opportunities that have deepened my understanding of the complexities surrounding international aid and social work. As a Poverty and Human Capability studies minor, I have had the opportunity to complete two summer internships, one domestic (Louisville, Kentucky) and one international (Accra, Ghana), that allowed me to explore my interest in public policy and social work.

Why did you apply for this opportunity? My summer internship in Accra, Ghana exposed me to the difficulties of finding a balance between respecting the traditions and norms of a culture and finding a way to bring about sustainable social change.  I applied to the Junior Summer Institute in hopes to further explore how I, as an outsider to a culture, can propose and define policies that truly reflect the needs of a community without imposing my own cultural values or assumptions.

Post-graduation Plans: I do not have any set plans, but I am planning on applying for a variety of fellowships such as Fulbright and the Peace Corps. I hope to find an opportunity that will allow me to return to Morocco or West Africa, where I can continue to improve my French and Arabic language skills, while engaging my passion for social justice and working with kids.

How will this opportunity help you achieve your goals? With a desire to further explore my passions for education policy and social justice issues, I’m hoping that PPIA will introduce me to the intricacies of the world of public policy and international affairs, while also helping me understand what a future path in public service could look like in terms of grad school.

Extracurricular Involvement:

French Tutor, Languages for Rockbridge
Classroom Volunteer, Maury River Middle School
Work Study, Office of Admissions
University Ambassador

Off-campus Experience:

Summer 2017: Shepherd Internship, Cabbage Patch Settlement House (Louisville, Kentucky)
Spring Term 2018: The Ethnography of Modern Day Slavery (Accra, Ghana)
Summer 2018: Shepherd Internship, Anani Memorial International School (Accra, Ghana)
Fall Term 2018: Middlebury Schools Abroad, Université de Bordeaux (Bordeaux, France)
Winter/Spring Term 2019: IES Abroad, Université Mohammed V (Rabat, Morocco)