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Susan Lyddon at (718) 482-5061 Slyddon@lagcc.cuny.edu

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Long Island City, NY—January 11, 2013—Laurie Norris, a former LaGuardia Community College fundamentals of professional advancement instructor and an intercultural communication consultant, has presented the College with a $60,000 gift that provides student internship opportunities with an international focus.

With the intention of providing LaGuardia students with hands-on experience at international organizations, Ms. Norris and her husband, Clarence Pearson, a global health consultant, are offering these opportunities through the Jean and Laurie Norris World View Internship at LaGuardia, a program established in honor of her late mother, Jean, who had a long association with LaGuardia. Jean Norris was a faculty member in LaGuardia’s secretarial science department and in the cooperative education program. 

Each year, one or two students with an interest in international issues will be placed in a four-month internship at the United Nations or a major nongovernmental organization (NGO) whose mission focuses on global issues. The internship comes with a $4,000 stipend.

“This program provides LaGuardia students with the rare opportunity to experience first-hand, the workings of an international organization,” said Ms. Norris, who explained that such internships are usually reserved for masters and doctoral students. “It will help them to develop their global views and to plan for their future careers.”

Three students have already completed internships.

Melissa Dosil, liberal arts: social science and humanities major, worked at the Global Action on Aging at the UN, an international non-profit organization. Lia Martinez-Santamaria and Gili Loew recently completed their internships at AARP’s Office of International Affairs at the UN, which focuses on informing domestic policy on aging issues by researching international best practices and policies through a number of international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization. And this January, Evgeniya Ezhova, an international studies student, will begin her internship at the Business Council for the United Nations.

“The Jean and Laurie Norris World View Internship has proven to be an invaluable experience,” said Lia, who is interested in pursuing a career in multicultural communications. “Being an intern at an office with such an international perspective gave me a good idea of what the future holds for me in this field. I could not be more grateful to Laurie Norris and Clarence Pearson who made this possible for me.”
 

Gili agreed. “It was a wonderful experience that provided me with a wealth of knowledge,” said the young intern who is interested in a career in international relations or diplomacy. “I learned how the world works, what it takes to affect a nation, and the commitment and hard work it takes to advocate for its citizens, whether it is the poor, women or seniors.”

Gili, who completed her internship this past December, will continue interning at the organization. “There is so much more that I want to learn,” she said.

As part of their internships, the two liberal arts majors and honor students assisted with organizing events. One of the projects involved helping with the organization of the United Nation’s International Day of Older Persons. They also represented AARP during the presidential debate that took place at Hofstra University this past October. Along with assisting with the organization of events, they performed research and took on administrative responsibilities.

 

“Through this internship program, my husband and I have helped to open new doors for each of these students,” said Ms. Norris. “They are engaged in the world, interested in their futures and already making contributions within their selected fields.”

“Ms. Norris’s commitment to enhancing young people’s world view paves the way for LaGuardia students to engage in an invaluable, hands-on internship experience,” said Dr. Gail O. Mellow, president of LaGuardia. “Her generous gift reflects the exceptional dedication of LaGuardia faculty to broadening students’ perspectives both inside and outside the classroom.”