By Mark den Hollander
The CCI summer research internship has been developed to meet the needs of young people who are looking to defend the values they support in the world. The goal of these programs is to provide an outlet for students to learn about topics that they have a vested interest in advocating and defending. For the summer research project, interns are paired with CCI staff members to develop a project proposal that is based on one of the ten areas of research that are provided.
For Alex Mooney, a Hillsdale College student from Alabama, this meant taking time to research some of the harmful policies of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Alex has been quite interested in learning more about the events leading up to the dismantling of USAID. In his research, he delved into how large agencies like USAID were able to disguise highly controversial ideological agendas through the terminology of development aid.
Janée Van Harbeden, a law student and legal assistant from Lethbridge, Alberta, researched Canada’s contributions and legacy within the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). As a founding member in the organization of the UNHRC, Canada led some of the initial conversations on human rights. While Canada is no longer a participating member of the UNHRC, they have used the platform and their influence to push an anti-sovereignty message to countries around the world.
“My understanding of the UN and Canada’s role within it has greatly expanded,” said Janee. “But my appreciation for the importance of CCI’s work grew even more as I saw Canadian representatives repeatedly advocating for values so opposed to a Christian worldview.”
CCI looks forward to working with more interested, passionate young people who are ready to take on the work of policy proposals and implementation from a Chrisitan perspective. In the upcoming years we look forward to growing our student programs.
Financial support is needed to continue training young people in policies that deal with family, life, and freedom. As we look forward to next year, we are hopeful that we will be able to continue training brilliant young minds to get involved in the UN Fellowship as well as the summer research internship. Without financial support, these programs cannot continue. These training programs are developing the hearts and minds of our future generation of thought and leadership. Any financial support is greatly appreciated. If you would like to learn more about the training programs, please reach out by email.