My name is Emily Wargo and I am a 2009 summer intern at GAA. In a mere two months I will begin my senior year at Providence College, in Rhode Island. My studies include a major in Global Studies and a concentration in European affairs. I also recently returned from studying abroad in Seville, Spain for the semester, complimenting my Spanish minor. As a lifetime resident of Connecticut, I am commuting to New York City on a part-time basis to gain experience from the knowledgeable advocates at Global Action on Aging during the summer break.
While abroad I began investigating internship opportunities and was fortunate enough to be offered a part time internship at GAA for the summer. I was thrilled by the original assignments, and little did I know that even more would be added to my list! I am now responsible for finding articles and reports in both English and Spanish corresponding to elder rights, pension systems, health care, and armed conflict facing older persons.
As a GAA intern, my days in the office are kept busy with the constantly emerging news pertaining to the elderly population. Over the past two months I have had the opportunity to work on additional tasks, allowing my creative, liberal arts juices to flow freely. From working to compile an analysis of the current financial crisis’ effects on older persons to attending a session at the United Nations for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, my experience at GAA has exceeded my expectations.
Recently Susanne Paul dropped by my desk with an article from Z Magazine and instructions to upload it to the website. Like all of my other articles, I began formatting the editorial and read it over in order to draft a knowledgeable summary. The piece was a book review of The Grey Panthers; the story of one remarkable group of older persons begun in the 1960’s who fought for their vision of a dignified lifestyle in later years. Aside from their extreme determination, leading to several victories and national attention, one woman in the review caught my attention, Maggie Kuhn. Kuhn founded the group with fire in her eyes, based on the principle that old age is beautiful, not something to be hidden but something to be declared and affirmed. I was overcome with a feeling of contentment as I read the article, knowing that my work here at GAA is furthering her dream. The review is available in the US section under the Health category on the GAA website.
I will do my best to carry Kuhn’s words with me in all of my future endeavors and “until rigor mortis sets in, do one outrageous thing every week.”
As a GAA intern, my days in the office are kept busy with the constantly emerging news pertaining to the elderly population. Over the past two months I have had the opportunity to work on additional tasks, allowing my creative, liberal arts juices to flow freely. From working to compile an analysis of the current financial crisis’ effects on older persons to attending a session at the United Nations for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, my experience at GAA has exceeded my expectations.
Recently Susanne Paul dropped by my desk with an article from Z Magazine and instructions to upload it to the website. Like all of my other articles, I began formatting the editorial and read it over in order to draft a knowledgeable summary. The piece was a book review of The Grey Panthers; the story of one remarkable group of older persons begun in the 1960’s who fought for their vision of a dignified lifestyle in later years. Aside from their extreme determination, leading to several victories and national attention, one woman in the review caught my attention, Maggie Kuhn. Kuhn founded the group with fire in her eyes, based on the principle that old age is beautiful, not something to be hidden but something to be declared and affirmed. I was overcome with a feeling of contentment as I read the article, knowing that my work here at GAA is furthering her dream. The review is available in the US section under the Health category on the GAA website.
I will do my best to carry Kuhn’s words with me in all of my future endeavors and “until rigor mortis sets in, do one outrageous thing every week.”
Very informative! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSounds great! Keep up the good work and good luck with your studies
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