Summer 2020 Fellow: Christine Lathrop

by | Jul 7, 2020 | In Profile, Interns

Meet Summer 2020 Fellow Christine Lathrop. Christine is working with our MARCOM department, our development team, and with our M&E specialists. She is a huge help to us here at World Hope International (WHI) as her work allows our professional staff to focus more energy on to the projects on their plates. This is especially appreciated as so far 2020 has been an eventful and challenging year. Christine originally was to work at our headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, due to social distancing and the ongoing threat of spreading COVID-19, Christine has been able to work with us remotely. She has adapted with outstanding flexibility, determined to make the most of the situation while still staying safe at home. Keep reading to learn more about Christine!

How did you first get connected to WHI? What made you look into working with us?
“I came across WHI through the InterAction Network and saw that their mission aligned with my values and goals. I enjoyed the variety of projects that they worked on because it would allow me to learn about projects from disaster relief to social ventures.”
Education

I am currently pursuing an MA in Conflict Resolution at Georgetown University and will be graduating in December 2020.

Undergrad: Chapman University 2013-2017, BA Political Science, BA Peace Studies.

Where I call home
Washington D.C.
About me
I am…Confident, Resourceful, Enthusiastic, and Supportive
Fun fact
Since graduating from Chapman, every season I have created a bucket list of places to go, activities to do, books to read, and general goals I want to achieve!
Some of my favorite things

Drink: Diet Coke

Color: Blue

Author: Liane Moriarty

Out of the many types of projects WHI is involved in, which do you feel the most passionate about?
“I feel very passionate about the clean water projects because they supply a basic human right to the communities we operate within. As a student of Conflict Resolution, I have been educated to locate the roots of problems in order to prevent or eliminate challenges. Unclean water is a root of numerous health complications and the hardship to obtain any water is a hurdle to many people, especially children and women. Through addressing this issue, WHI is able to support the growth and health of a large beneficiary community.”
What is your fellowship focused on and what have you been learning in that role so far? 
“Thus far, I have learned an immense amount monitoring and evaluation of projects. This has required me to learn about the details of projects ranging from child sponsorship to a desalinization plant in order to properly establish a framework for tracking progress.”
What are you hoping to learn and accomplish this summer?
“Throughout the summer I hope to learn about disaster response, and help formulate plans for fall disaster response, Monitoring and Evaluation of programming, program management, and the vital role of development to organizations. I hope to leave a mark on the organization by creating work that remains integral to their operations after my fellowship concludes.”
How does this fellowship fit into your long-term or short-term career goals?
“My experience at WHI has been a great introduction into the non-profit humanitarian assistance field. Ultimately, I would like to work at an organization that has similar goals of addressing basic human right needs with a community-driven approach.”
What challenges or growth have you experienced while working remotely during the threat of COVID-19?
“I have experienced the challenges of not connecting with every member of the DC office and the benefits of learning from observing others and being within the chaos, but it has allowed me the opportunity to work more independently.”
We partner with students at accredited colleges and universities to connect their talents, passions, and education to internship opportunities in our office located in Alexandria, Virginia. Click here for more information and email info@wordhope.org to apply for current internship opportunities.