Laura Fairlamb | General Studies | Class of 2023
Hotline and Administrative Intern (French) for the African Services Committee
My name is Laura Fairlamb and I am a senior in the Dual BA between Columbia’s School of General Studies and Sciences Po in France. With an interest in migration, I spent the first two years of my degree studying Political Science with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa. At the same time, living on the Franco-Italian border allowed me to become engaged in organizations advocating for the respect of asylum seekers rights’ while outside of the classroom.
Upon coming to Columbia, I ultimately decided to merge these interests by pursuing a major in Human Rights and maintaining a focus in my coursework on migrant rights and the Middle East/North Africa region. Outside of my major, I have also remained dedicated to studying Arabic, as I believe language studies are an essential first step in understanding another region and culture. This summer, I was finally able to put my Arabic to the test by participating in a 10 week intensive in Amman, Jordan on a FLAS fellowship. As I enter my internship with the African Services Committee, I look forward to the opportunity to combine my linguistic skills in French, human rights coursework, and experiences abroad to contribute towards globally-minded work at the local level.
Safiya O’Brien | Barnard College | Class of 2025
Hotline and Administrative Intern (Spanish) for the African Services Committee
My name is Safiya O’Brien. I am a sophomore at Barnard College pursuing a dual degree in Political Science and Human Rights. I was born and raised in Berkeley, California– an environment where I was constantly surrounded by social justice and activism discourse on both the national and international level. My mother and her family immigrated to the U.S. from Tanzania in 1978. The African Services Committee touches a special place in my heart and aligns with my outlook on the world: I want to use the position of privilege I hold as a result of my family’s struggles, and do what I can to assist those who are going through similar experiences.
Throughout my life, I have envisioned a career in both public defense and nonprofit work that emphasizes bringing innovation and financial investments to uplift communities worldwide and provide support without having to sacrifice independence and self determination. After graduation, I hope to work internationally in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania before attending law school.
Mathis Roy Vigne | Columbia College | Class of 2024
Hotline and Administrative Intern (French) for the African Services Committee
Mathis Roy Vigne (he/him) is a junior transfer at Columbia College majoring in American Politics and International Relations. Mathis grew up simultaneously in Paris, France and Queens, NY, with a unique set of values inherited from his father’s self-sustaining Haitian principles and his mother’s rural French roots. This diverse background fostered his awe of the world and his desire to refine his multi-sighted perspective on the intersectionality of race, socioeconomic class, and political fortunes.
Mathis exploited every opportunity to challenge his global vision and give back to the community directly instead of awaiting empowerment from his degree. For instance, he previously embarked on a study abroad to Singapore, a humanitarian mission to Armenia, an election observation mission to Egypt, and a get-out-the-vote campaign for Haitian Americans in Florida. After graduation, he hopes to help bridge the international divides as a diplomat, a politician, or an airline executive.
Clara Hua | Columbia College | Class of 2025
Distributed Organizing Intern for For The Many
I’m Clara Hua, a sophomore at Columbia College studying Financial Economics and Linguistics. I’m passionate about fostering and facilitating the connections between people, cultures, and ideas as a global citizen. Some of my favorite past experiences include conducting research on declining dialects and immigrant language use, as well as working on rural economic development. All these projects and my background living in cities across the world has equipped me with diverse perspectives to learn and think about the world. As a GTE participant, I can’t wait to engage with NYC in a way that is grounded in the present and local all while being forward-thinking. In my free time, I’m an avid baker and film photographer!
Adam Kinder | Columbia College | Class of 2026
Distributed Organizing Intern for For The Many
Hello! My name is Adam Kinder, and I’m a first-year studying political science at Columbia College. While my primary interests are in International Relations and Human Rights, I have other prospects in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African studies. I hope to channel my strengths through public foreign service, international law, or humanitarian work abroad, where I hope to help global communities where they are.
I spent a significant portion of my life living overseas, and it was that time abroad that informs almost everything about my work and worldview today. During some very formative years of my life, I was confronted by brutal inequality across the globe, but I was also inspired by humanity’s sheer capacity for compassion. It is that experience that compels me to believe that everyone, especially in a nation as prosperous as our own, has the capability and responsibility to act when they are confronted by injustice in their own lives.
Skyler Standridge | Columbia College | Class of 2025
Distributed Organizing Intern for For The Many
My name is Skyler Standridge, and I’m a sophomore in Columbia College studying East Asian Studies and Human Rights. I’m a first generation student from Dallas, Texas looking to gain experience in international studies through human rights law and advancing my studies in Mandarin. I am looking to go to law school after my undergraduate career and specialize in international human rights law. I’ve always been particularly invested in advancing human rights both in the United States and internationally, and I’m very excited to continue my research and experience in the field.
Jeong Yong (Jayon) Park | Barnard College | Class of 2024
Distributed Organizing Intern for For The Many
Jeong Yeon (Jayon) Park is a junior at Barnard College studying Political Science. Though her academic interests are many, she is especially interested in how demands in the global economy affect immigration policies. Prior to coming to Barnard College, she attended Bard College where she spearheaded Asian American advocacy work on campus by inviting keynote speakers and adding AAPI-specific works to the first-year writing seminar curriculum. Jayon looks forward to expanding upon her community organizing skills in her new role and hopes to learn through this opportunity at Columbia’s Global Thought Experience.
Chun Wang | Barnard College | Class of 2023
Fundraising Team Leader for For The Many
Chun Wang is a Senior studying Sociology and Political Science at Barnard College. She’s passionate about sustainable development and international politics. Throughout the years, Chun has been deeply involved in grassroots social welfare activism, corporate sustainable transformation, and empowerment of women. As an international student who grew up on the other side of the world (China), she aspires to achieve greater impacts in international affairs and ESG investing. She firmly believes in the power of connecting people around the globe through collaboration and exchange in the aspects of culture, politics, and climate actions. Chun has always been a determined change-maker, community leader, and global citizen, and she’s excited to join the GTE cohort to take her social impact to the next level.
Charlotte Andreano | Columbia College | Class of 2025
Dining Room Volunteer for the Fortune Society
My name is Charlotte Andreano and I am a sophomore at Columbia College studying history and political science. I am interested in political and legal advocacy, which has in the past led me to volunteer on gubernatorial and congressional campaigns and work with the NYU Center for Social Media and Politics. At Columbia, I play on the women’s club rugby team, act in radio plays for WKCR’s Soundstage program, and write for the WKCR newsletter. I am excited to embark on the Global Thought Experience so that I can enrich my academic and pre-professional journey with a greater sense of purpose, direction, and drive.
Ava Lynn Graff | Columbia College | Class of 2026
Volunteer Services Newsletter/Video Editor Intern for the Fortune Society
Ava Graff is a freshman at Columbia University planning to major in Neuroscience and Behavior on the pre-med track. She grew up the middle child of five children in rural southern Utah. From a young age, Ava has had a passion for giving back and enriching her community. When Ava was 6 years old her father was incarcerated and her world changed in an instant. Growing up, she noticed how few resources were available to help children deal with a loved one’s incarceration as she scrambled to find ways to cope with her changing world. With inspiration from her mother, she decided to create and compile resources for other children going through the same thing by creating a website called parentinprison.com. Ava uses this website to share her experiences as a child with a parent in prison to help other people find community and compassion. These experiences sparked a desire in Ava to learn more about how traumatic events and structural systems impact our brains and behavior.
When Ava is not studying or attending clubs, she enjoys yoga, rock climbing, and hiking, especially if it is in the red rock desert of her hometown. She loves to cook for herself and her friends, explore new places, and tend to her plants.