Tracy Jackson (left), a senior at The College of Wooster, with individuals from Casa del Migrante, an organization in Tijuana, Mexico, that serves undocumented and migrant workers.

Summer Leadership Awards Send Wooster Scholars Abroad

Winter 2014 | Atlanta

Two Scholars from The College of Wooster, seniors Shakera Blackmon and Tracy Jackson, explored life and culture in other parts of the world through unique summer internships supported by Posse Summer Leadership Award (PSLA) grants. PSLAs make it possible for Scholars to participate in unpaid or minimally paid internships that offer significant professional development opportunity.

“Going abroad allows you to gain exposure to parts of the world that will help you think differently about life and yourself,” says Shakera, who taught dance to high school students in Costa Rica. “It opened my eyes to more possibilities for post-graduation. I am applying now for international performance and teaching opportunities.”

Tracy, a psychology major, interned at Casa del Migrante, an organization in Tijuana, Mexico, that serves undocumented and migrant workers. While there, he was able to connect his academic pursuits with his interests in human rights, completing a photojournalism project on the effects of deportation.

“My high school art teacher, Mr. Cole, told me that people should invest in art to document the history of humanity,” says Tracy. “I chose to intern at Casa del Migrante because I believed it would be the perfect place to help do that.”

In addition to Shakera and Tracy, PSLA grants allowed Brandeis University sophomore Queen White to teach English to children in Haiti and Boston University Scholar Jenna Bhaloo to intern with a youth development organization in Palestine.