Spotlight: Fall 2020 Interns

Learning Life’s student interns this fall 2020 are, among other things, post-interviewing family representatives worldwide that are completing our Family Diplomacy Initiative (FDI) food culture project, developing e-books from the project, growing FDI membership on Facebook at a rate of about 10 new members per day, building the invitation list for our Democracy Dinners, contributing research and writing for upcoming Learning Life articles on trivia vs. signia, learning in different contexts, the consequences of caring, world food culture, and more.  We are very grateful for our fall interns’ important and dedicated work.  

MAGGI CHAMBERS

Year, major and school: I am a senior international business major, and a political science minor with a concentration in Middle Eastern culture and studies at Howard University.

Hobbies: I love listening to music. My favorite genres are Hip Hop and R&B. I also love going out with my friends and watching movies with them on the weekends.

Career aspirations: My ultimate career goal is to direct a non-profit organization that inspires students to pursue international careers. In the shorter-term, I plan to work in policy and economic development for international organizations that focus on Middle East peace and conflict resolution.

Why Learning Life? I chose to intern with Learning Life to enhance my outreach skills. I had done outreach work before, but I knew it was a skill I needed to build on. Additionally, I wanted to learn some fundamentals of grassroots movements and non-profit management.

OLIVIA CHAVEZ

Year, major and school: I am a graduate student at American University in the School of Public Affairs working on a Master’s in Political Communications. 

Hobbies: Pre-COVID I traveled as much as possible. I love exploring Washington DC and the East Coast, but I also enjoy traveling back west to California and Mexico to spend time with my family. I also enjoy podcasts, reading, and keeping up with the news.  

Career aspirations: I would like to work in the public diplomacy field, whether that is through the private sector or in government.   

Why Learning Life? I chose to intern with Learning Life because it seemed to be the most unique and worthwhile experience considering the divisiveness and political unrest in the United States these days. I was also curious about citizen diplomacy and the Family Diplomacy Initiative.

NOELLE CURTIS

Year, major and school: I am a junior at Johns Hopkins University double majoring in International Studies and Spanish.

Hobbies: I love to read in my free time! I adore classic novels the most. My favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut and Haruki Murakami. I also love to cook and try out new cuisines in the kitchen when I get the chance.

Career aspirations: In the future, I hope to work in the fields of international affairs, diplomacy, and/or democracy. I’m still exploring the many opportunities out there!

Why Learning Life? I chose to intern with Learning Life because its core mission to promote greater cultural exchange and understanding resonated very strongly with me. As someone who’s fascinated by the world and people around me, Learning Life’s many initiatives are incredibly important to my own desire for a more caring and interconnected world. I hope my experience here continues to inspire me and others moving forward!

JOHN DIBELLO

Year, major and school: I am a graduate student at Georgetown University’s School of Medicine pursuing a degree in human physiology and biophysics. I received my undergraduate degree from Boston College in biology, global health and medical humanities.

Hobbies: Recently, I have been a bit obsessed with gardening. I have my own backyard veggie garden and my roommates and I also have four composting bins. I like to pick up new hobbies every couple of years. In the past, I played trombone in concert and marching bands, sang in a choir, and played hockey and rugby.

Career aspirations: I look forward to working as a physician as well as completing community health research and projects at local to global scales. 

Why Learning Life? Learning Life envisions a world where we are all a bit more interconnected and where we turn to each other, rather than just books or our own social silos to learn. It’s mission promotes a more empathetic and democratic world during a highly contentious time in my own country’s politics as well as throughout the world.

NIKKI ESPINAL

Year, major and school: I am a sophomore at George Washington University. I am double majoring in international affairs and political science. 

Hobbies:  I love to read fiction, especially adventure and thriller novels, whenever I have the chance. Cooking with my sisters and trying new recipes is always a good time in our house. I am also currently learning Japanese, which will be my third language, besides English and Spanish, and I hope to learn more in the future, like Korean and Portuguese. 

Career aspirations: I hope to get a Ph.D. focused on the relationships between Asia and Latin America/the Caribbean. I would also like to go to law school to eventually become an immigration lawyer to help children and families. 

Why Learning Life? I have always thought about opening a nonprofit immigration law office to help even those who cannot afford expensive lawyers. Learning Life intersected my interests in nonprofit work and helping marginalized communities. The opportunity to work at Learning Life has helped me learn what it means to work in a nonprofit and how to better help the communities that need nonprofits the most. Joining Learning Life was one of the best decisions I have made throughout my young adult life. 

YASMINE EZZEKMI

Year, major and school: I am a senior majoring in politics at Marymount University.

Hobbies: What I enjoy most is planning and undertaking new adventures each year by traveling around the globe, and discovering new people, cultures and traditions. I am passionate about art, especially paintings of the Renaissance era. I also enjoy reading and watching documentaries about ancient civilizations, Greek mythology, and the Ottoman Empire. 

Career aspirations: I am interested in joining the world of diplomacy and international relations. I also hope to write a book about the origins of my family ancestors, and the long journey they undertook before settling in North Africa. 

Why Learning Life? I choose Learning Life because I support its noble aim, which is building a more peaceful world. It embodies my aspiration and vision about a world in which individuals around the globe come together to eliminate the fear that sets us apart in order to create understanding and build a better future for all of us. Most importantly, Learning Life gave me the opportunity to witness not only the positive impact of citizen diplomacy, but also its crucial role, which I will make sure to integrate in my future diplomatic work. 

LORRANE KABERT

Year, major and school: I am a fourth-year medical student at Georgetown University’s School of Medicine. 

Hobbies: My hobbies include exploring dishes from various cultures and trying to recreate them, grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s and Aldi, home decluttering and organizing, spending time with my family, and watching any and everything on Youtube, Hulu and Netflix. 

Career aspirations: I will be going into family medicine. I plan to work as a doctor with underserved and vulnerable populations. I am also passionate about preventive medicine and culinary medicine.

Why Learning Life? Learning life was the perfect combination of all my passions. I am constantly seeking to become more culturally aware and competent, as the rest of the world should. I feel that talking about food is the perfect opportunity to engage people from all over, as it is one everyday thing everyone has in common regardless of class, race, etc. As a future physician that would like to interact with people from all sorts of backgrounds, food is a fun and relatable way to form connections. Learning Life has found a way for so many different families to connect and I am grateful to be a part of it!

MAX LIEBLICH

Year, major and school: I am a first-year graduate student at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service working on a Master’s in Global Human Development.

Hobbies: I love musical theater and everything related to it. I thus really enjoy singing, dancing, and acting. I’m also almost always happy when I get to be outdoors, so I do my best to scatter hikes and long runs throughout my weeks.

Career aspirations: I want to work in international development with a focus on developing human capital.

Why Learning Life?  I decided to work with Learning Life because I’ve seen firsthand the power that nontraditional education can have. School can provide students with many of the tools they will need to succeed. There are, however, still gaps in the kind of education schools provide, especially for lower-income students. I believe Learning Life is doing really valuable work by helping to fill these gaps, giving students a better chance to succeed in an environment where the odds are often stacked against them.

ALEXIA VEGA

Year, major and school: I am a sophomore majoring in International relations at American University.

Hobbies:  I spend most of my free time reading about history and politics, or helping plan fundraisers or activities for different clubs in my school. I also enjoy photography, and visiting different restaurants in the Washington DC area. Because I’m based in DC, I also have the amazing opportunity to visit museums and attend political events.

Career aspirations: I would like to work in a non-governmental organization or become a human rights lawyer to help amend the many injustices in our world.

Why Learning Life? I chose to intern with Learning Life because I felt a connection with the organization’s goals. I wanted to intern with Learning Life because I knew I would have a worthwhile experience, including interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds.