University of Oregon International Projects Fair: Michelle Hyde-Wright
Noted on May 15, 2012 by IE3 Student in
The annual University of Oregon International Projects Fair is a showcase for UO undergraduate students to present projects completed during their time spent studying or interning abroad. Five IE3 interns shared their international projects at the 2012 fair on April 18. One of these interns is Michelle Hyde-Wright, an IE3 participant who interned with the Group for Population Studies and Education (GEEP) in Dakar, Senegal, this last winter. In the interview below, she shares a bit about her project and her experience presenting it at the fair.
What was your project about?
My project was about my experience coordinating a radio show featuring youth in Dakar, Senegal, and what I learned about working cross-culturally. I coordinated a weekly radio show that focused on issues relevant to youth such as teen pregnancy, new technology, relations with parents, and sexual assault. Through this experience, I not only gained an unexpected training in journalism, but I also learned a lot from working cross-culturally: the importance of patience, how to deal with ambiguity, and that double checking everything is very important.
What inspired or got you interested or involved in your project?
During my internship at a reproductive health education organization in Dakar, I started working part time at a local community radio station in order to have more projects to work on. I ended up re-starting a radio show that had existed in the past, called ‘Connexion Jeunes,’ which brings together youth to discuss issues relevant to them.
How did the work at your internship/international experience contribute to your project?
My part-time work at the radio station overlapped with my work at my internship site, because the youth that I invited to come to the radio show were peer educators in my host organization’s network of extracurricular clubs focused on reproductive health education. I was able to work with the accountant at my host organization to design a budget for the radio show and find funding for it.
How did it feel to present your project at the fair?
It was a new experience for me to present my project at a fair like that. I was surprised by how many people came up to me and asked questions about my project and were genuinely interested in the work that I had done. I enjoyed sharing my experiences and stories from my internship.
Do you have plans for your project in the future?
I’m not sure if I will have the chance to work at that radio station again, but I hope to go back and visit Senegal someday to see my host family and all of my coworkers. I am continuing contact with the radio station and my host organization (GEEP- the Group for Population Studies and Education).