Meet the RIS Summer Interns - Part 1

Each summer, Lutheran Services of Georgia's Refugee and Immigration Services department takes on several interns. We're excited to introduce five of our summer interns: Annie Goodman, Kayla Crowell, Onah Melenu, Victoria Shelegina, and Allie Alexander.

Annie Goodman

 

About Annie: Annie Goodman was born in Richmond, Virginia, but spent most of her life in Alpharetta, Georgia. Currently, she lives in Kennesaw with her boyfriend Clint and her two cats, Penny and Olive. Annie is double majoring in Anthropology and Early Childhood Education at Kennesaw State University. Annie loves to play video games, read comics, and is currently working with her boyfriend to renovate their 1960s home. She is also trying her hand at gardening and watercolors.

Annie's Hopes for the Summer: "I have heard nothing but great things about LSG from past interns and I am very excited to be part of it. As a future educator, I want to gain experience in a multicultural environment. In all of the classrooms I have worked in, there are students from all over the world. Not only will I be working to create a welcoming and effective learning environment for all of my students, I will also be establishing positive relationships with my students' parents. I know this experience will help me become a better teacher for my future students."

Kayla Crowell

About Kayla: Kayla is from Powder Springs, Georgia. She's a fourth year student studying French and Spanish at the University of Georgia. In her spare time, Kayla loves to read, travel, and spend time with her friends.

Kayla's Hopes for the Summer: "I decided to intern with LSG because I wanted to gain professional experience and learn more about immigration law while making a positive difference in people's lives. LSG's wide range of services and commitment to welcoming people made it a perfect fit. I hope to improve my language skills and gain a meaningful understanding of how law impacts people, what services are available to them, and how I can pursue a career in this field."

Onah Melanu

About Onah: Onah is from Georgia. She is a graduating senior studying Anthropology at Kennesaw State University. Onah's hobbies include reading, swimming, and cultural community activities.

Onah's Hopes for the Summer: "I enjoy helping others with job placement and acculturation activities. I assist friends and family typically from Africa with understanding American culture and with work. At LSG, I hope to gain more knowledge from other cultures as well as the background activity that goes along with job placement. Upon graduation I plan to obtain an MBA with a concentration in human resource management."

Victoria Shelegina

About Victoria: Originally from Russia, Victoria arrived in the U.S. in September, 2011. Victoria holds a law degree from the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia and is currently a Juris Doctor candidate at Emory University School of Law. Victoria likes to read and to travel.

Victoria's Hopes for the Summer: : "Upon graduation, I look forward to practicing immigration law in the U.S., so I hope to gain professional experience with LSG."

Allie Alexander

About Allie: Allie is a rising junior at Georgia State University studying Public Policy. Her hobbies including horseback riding (particularly barrel racing), reading, traveling, and exploring the city and different cultures.

Allie's Hopes for the Summer: "I've had internships in the past and my experiences have consisted largely of paperwork, faxing, and very little hands-on experience. I wanted to be given responsibility and interact directly with the people that a non-profit serves. I knew that LSG would give me the opportunity to accomplish this. I would like to understand in-depth the challenges and processes that refugees go through as they adjust to life in the U.S. I find it incredible that refugees are able to overcome the extremely adverse circumstances they have faced."

Thank you, Victoria, Annie, Onah, Kayla, and Allie for joining us in welcome this summer! Watch our blog next week to meet the rest of the RIS interns. To learn more about interning with Refugee and Immigration Services, contact Melanie Johnson at mjohnson@lsga.org.