Sophomore Jasmine Porter Receives Prestigious Fellowship

Gustavus sophomore Jasmine Porter ’13 has been selected as a 2011 Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP) Fellow. Porter is one of 25 college students nationwide named to this prestigious fellowship and the first Gustavus recipient in the program’s 17-year history. The fellowship has an estimated value of $75,000.

“IIPP recognized that Jasmine Porter possesses a rare combination of traits that neatly match what they’re looking for: an impressive academic record, a strong set of ethical commitments and principles, intellectual acumen, an interest in global issues and the role of international public policy, and a deep commitment to fairness and justice and seeking to make the world better through her actions,” said Alisa Rosenthal, associate professor of political science and fellowships coordinator at Gustavus.

From St. Louis Park, Minn., Porter is working toward a double major in political science and geography at Gustavus. She is actively involved in numerous extra- and co-curricular activities, including the I Am We Are social justice theatre troupe, and more.

With the goal of increasing the representation of minorities in international service, IIPP’s main objectives are to provide “underrepresented minority undergraduates with the skill, confidence, and support networks that contribute to success in the international arena” and to provide “U.S. international affairs agencies and organizations with a key source of diverse and talented personnel.”

Here’s what IIPP Fellows receive:

1. Sophomore Summer Policy Institute (summer after sophomore year) introduces fellows to the basics of international policy development, foreign affairs, cultural competence, careers in these fields, and options for graduate study.
2. Junior Year Study Abroad: Through study abroad at accredited institutions, fellows study for at least one semester at approved overseas institutions. All Junior Year Study Abroad programs include the following components:  language study, study of local culture, international public policy, service learning/volunteer activities, and a research project focusing on a public policy issues.
3. Junior Summer Policy Institute (summer after junior year) introduces fellows to international policy analysis and its core techniques through work on such contemporary issues as the digital divide, foreign aid, and national security. Fellows participate in discussions with a variety of faculty and speakers, including career placement officers and specialists familiar with foreign policy issues.
4. Summer Language Institute: Fellows without previously demonstrated foreign language competency are required to participate in the Summer Language Institute (SLI), an intensive language-training program, during the summer following their senior year of college. Fellows attend one of the many intensive language programs offered at the Middlebury College Language Schools in Middlebury, Vt.
5. IIPP Internship: the post-baccalaureate internship can last up to a year, providing valuable job experience that strengthens a fellow’s graduate school applications and bolsters his or her professional credentials. Internship opportunities have been greatly enhanced through partnership agreements with a variety of internationally focused organizations. These organizations include such organizations/agencies as the Congressional Research Service; Defense Intelligence Agency; U.S. State Department; CARE; TransAfrica Forum; One World Now!; West African Research Center; Visions in Action; Ernst and Young; for India; the International Rescue Committee; and many others.
6. Master’s Degree Program in International Affairs: Fellows receive up to $15,000 in funds to attend an Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) graduate school. The graduate school program provides up to $15,000 in matching funds.

The 2011 IIPP recipients are from the following institutions:

• Gustavus Adolphus College
• University of California-Berkeley
• Connecticut College
• Dickinson College
• Emory University
• Tufts University
• Morehouse College
• DePauw University
• American University
• Spelman College
• Texas A & M International University
• Florida Memorial University
• Florida Atlantic University
• St. Augustine’s College
• Langston University
• University of Colorado Denver
• Alcorn State University
• Clark Atlanta University
• Seton Hall University
• Temple University
• St. Mary’s University
• University of Maryland Baltimore County

More information about the IIPP is online.