Clinton School Announces Inaugural Class Internships

Announcing my internship at a Clinton School press conference in Little Rock. Also pictured, fellow classmates John Spears and Dawn Zekis.


By ANNIE BERGMAN Associated Press Writer

LITTLE ROCK (AP) _ After one year in the classroom, the inaugural class at the Clinton School of Public Service will soon begin internships that will take them around the globe in pursuit of social change.

Newly-appointed Dean Skip Rutherford said the internships, which are a requirement of the students' work toward a master's degree, will allow the students to use their skills and knowledge in the field.

''This takes public service to a whole new level,'' Rutherford said. ''It's good for Arkansas, the nation and it's good for the world.''

Thirteen of the 16 students will participate in internships this summer. The other three are working on different projects and will do their field work at a later date. The school opened last fall.

The students chose to work in countries including Bolivia, India, the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and St. Lucia. Some also will work in New York City or Washington, D.C. The students each receive $5,000 to cover costs related to the work.

''This was something that they had to put a lot of effort into,'' said John Hill, an associate professor who helped coordinate the internships. ''It's something that they've been working really hard to accomplish.''

Each student had to choose a non-governmental organization as a sponsor for their work. And while the school helped students make contacts and find sponsors, some students knew exactly where they wanted to work when classes began last August.

One such student is Joe Ballard.

Ballard, who said he knew last summer that he wanted to work in Afghanistan, will be interning with the Roqia Center for Women's Rights in Kabul. As part of the program, he will work on literacy and education.

''I can't imagine a better learning lab for someone interested in aid and development,'' Ballard said. ''Basically, everything that needs to happen for a country to be successful needs to happen in Afghanistan.''

Ballard said he understands there are risks associated with traveling and working in a country where the U.S. is fighting and he will take precautions to ensure his safety.

''When people hear Afghanistan, they think Iraq. And it's not the same,'' Ballard said.

Another student, Malcolm Glover, will be in southern Sudan working with Winrock International in Little Rock to rebuild the country after a civil war there destroyed much of it. He will also help create a documentary about Winrock's work in the country.

Glover said he will spend his time in Juba and Rumbek, and said he wasn't worried about his well-being despite large-scale violence in the Darfur region that erupted there in early 2003.

''I know there are so many things that I'm meant to do,'' Glover said. ''I'm just excited about being in a place that I've always heard about but I've never been.''