Student Internship Spotlight: Ben Gronowski

Ben Gronowski is a second year Master of Human Rights Student. His concentrations include forced migration and socioeconomic rights. This summer, he interned with the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, which included working remotely in Minneapolis, as well as travel to the Dominican Republican and the Netherlands. 

Human Rights Program (HRP): Tell us about where you interned this summer and what you worked on while you are there.

Ben Gronowski (BG): I worked at The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion. I worked on drafting the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submission for the Dominican Republic, an evaluation of the Institute's human rights advocacy work to date (primarily UPR, Convention on the Rights the Child, and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women submissions)-looking at effectiveness of having their recommendations echoed by states/committees, those recommendations actually being implemented, collaborations with partners, and barriers to effectiveness for an organization their size. I also helped in facilitating sessions at their Statelessness Summer Course held in the Netherlands, and drafting a paper on the intersection of the right to adequate housing and the right to a nationality.

HRP: What were a few major takeaways or lessons that you learned this summer through your internship?

BG: In terms of knowledge, I learned a lot about different human rights mechanisms, processes, and opportunities for civil society to engage. I also learned about statelessness in a variety of contexts and its causes and consequences. In terms of skills, I learned about self-structuring my work and the importance of communication while working with little supervision. I also got some insight into what working for a small NGO is like, in terms of its collaborative nature and opportunities for constant learning.

HRP: How was the internship related to your course of study, and how do you think it will help you in your career?

Through different courses required by the MHR program, I have studied statelessness and associated human rights violations in Cote d'Ivoire and Myanmar. I have worked to address the right to a nationality as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic. In my studies, I'm interested in migration, displacement, and socioeconomic rights. While statelessness is not necessarily linked to forced migration, the two are often intertwined as statelessness can be a cause or consequence of displacement. I'm not yet sure how this internship will necessarily help me in my career, but I learned many new and useful skills and I'm appreciative to have had the opportunity to work with such an amazing organization.