Student Profile: Isabelle Graves ’23
After living in Madrid for the entirety of her junior year, Isabelle Graves formed a great appreciation for people who helped her out when she was an outsider. This attitude carried over into the internship—funded by the HFA Summer Internship Scholarship—that she had with Employment Services at the International Institute of New England last summer, where she found herself in a position to instill that same kindness upon others.
As an intern, she worked with a team to help find jobs for newly arrived immigrants and refugees. Some of her tasks included providing intakes with clients via Zoom or in the office, setting them up for Refugee Cash Assistance, and helping them build resumes and cover letters to start applying to jobs.
“It was a difficult but rewarding experience,” Graves said. “I was able to get to know clients and learn about their cultures and customs. I enjoyed the aspect of meeting clients and being able to make them feel comfortable and heard.”
Graves will be graduating with degrees in Communication and Spanish in May 2023.