HUMANITIES Internship SPOTLIGHT | Ashlyn Tolman

Ashlyn Tolman is a Peace and Conflict Studies major at the University of Utah. This year, she joined Women of the World's internship program, which aims to help uplift women worldwide. What drew her to this internship was a combination of   past experiences and my desire to support refugees locally. She has previously worked with refugees in Palestine, West Bank, and along the Syrian border in Lebanon, and those experiences really opened my eyes to the struggles they face. “When I found out about Women of the World, I was immediately drawn to work with them because they focus on helping displaced women right here in Salt Lake. I'm so grateful to be able to support their efforts and continue the work I've been doing on a more local level," she said.

Ashlyn says this internship aligns with her major studies and what she's interested in and passionate about. To others also interested in helping refugees or in similar fields, Ashlyn says that while having some relevant experience is beneficial, you don't need an extensive background to put your application out there, and not to let a lack of qualifications holds you back. Tolman said looking for opportunities that genuinely interest and excite you is important. For example, she had some experience in education and human rights work before joining Women of the World, but she was emailing NGOs that didn't even have jobs posted as a way to find human rights internships and was actively seeking out opportunities to volunteer as a teacher even though she had zero experience. "Even if you feel underqualified, putting yourself out there and applying to roles that align with your interests is the only way to start and begin building experience," she said.    

Wow, how inspiring! Thanks, Ashyln!