20th Anniversary Alumni Reflections: Corey Brodsky

In celebration of the Human Rights Program's 20th Anniversary, Corey Brodsky (B.A. Global Studies & French Studies '10) recently shared with us his reflections on his time with the HRP and the impact it had on his career path.

Human Rights Program (HRP): What did you do with the Human Rights Program (HRP) while you were a student at the University of Minnesota?

Corey Brodsky (CB): I worked with Child Protection International within the Human Rights Program from 2009-2010. Child Protection International focused on research and advocacy around the issue of child abduction and birth registration in South Sudan.  I was also fortunate to take a number of courses within the Human Rights Program, including International Human Rights Law.

HRP: How did your work with the HRP affect your career path?

CB: The frameworks, values, and tools I acquired while working with and around the HRP were absolutely integral in guiding my career path.  After finishing at the University of Minnesota, I pursued a Master's degree in International Affairs at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs in D.C., studying conflict and conflict resolution with an Africa focus in order to continue and expand upon the work I did with the HRP.  While there, I was able to assist in coordinating the development of an academic book on U.N. Peacekeeping Operations and did most of my research and writing on peacebuilding processes in West Africa.

During graduate school, I also had the opportunity to intern for a human rights-oriented Congressman at the Capitol and worked with the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor in their Africa office. 

In 2012, I bridged my human rights and child advocacy work when I began working for the National Children's Alliance and later the Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center to help communities and states across the country improve the response to child maltreatment. Undoubtedly, every position I've taken over the last 10 years was guided by the question, "would this make Barb Frey proud?"

HRP: What are you doing now? 

CB: Since 2015, I've served as the Program Manager for Chapter Development and Partnerships at the Midwest Regional Children's Advocacy Center providing training and technical assistance to a network of child abuse professionals around the country and internationally. My focus and passion at the moment is helping states and local programs build systems and structures that address issues of equity in access to services in hopes of reducing disparities in health outcomes for people from non-dominant cultures involved in the child welfare system.