Paige Poulin
Hello! My name is Paige Poulin, and I am from Virginia, United States. I am in my fourth year of undergraduate education at Michigan State University, where I study Social Relations and Policy with a minor in Public Relations. After my undergraduate education, I am aiming to study law and practice within the fields of migration or personal injury.
On the first of June 2024, I flew into Cape Town and began my internship the following day. Coming into SIHMA was a wonderful experience. Rachel, Father Fillipo, Muluh and Gladys have been welcoming and kind throughout my whole experience in Cape Town. With SIHMA, I was able to work as a Communications and Research Intern, where I assisted with a variety of tasks in the field of human migration research. For the 10 weeks of my internship, I actively contributed to the Blog On The Move, created posts for social media content and contributed to the 2023 Annual Report. My time at SIHMA has been both rewarding and enriching, significantly helping me become a better professional and learn more about human migration from a global perspective.
My career goal is to work in the legal or humanitarian field, where I can ensure that everyone has equal access to the opportunities and resources necessary to achieve equality within our legal system. I believe that providing resources to assist with individual growth allows communities to develop and thrive. It is a human right to ensure that all people's voices are heard within the legal system, through the right to a fair trial and access to effective representation that ensures their perspectives are fully considered. Working at SIHMA has allowed me to learn about diverse strategies and resources used to support the integration and growth of asylum seekers and refugees—whose voices are often marginalized by migration policies. The experience I had working at SIHMA will have a forever impact on my life and the way I view human migration. I will cherish the lessons I learned at SIHMA and apply this experience throughout my entire career. Thank you to SIHMA for such an enriching experience, I miss Cape Town dearly.