Rhiannon Hasenauer
Degree, Program, and date of graduation: Bachelor of Science in Human Development, May 2017
Dates of working with the WGD Program: August 2015 – May 2016
What work did you do with the WGD program?
"My work as the Undergraduate Assistant for WGD has been multi-faceted. I support the Women and Gender in International Development Discussion Series and handle its logistics, I assist with research, seek funding opportunities for potential work in Latin America, complete admin tasks and update the social media platforms for WGD."
Most exciting experience, interesting discovery, or connections made:
"The most exciting part of my experience has been managing multiple projects at once. There has never been a dull moment here with WGD which has helped me realize that I want to pursue a career in which I am consistently challenged. WGD has taught me that each day brings a new chance to transform different challenges into opportunities for learning and growth."
After-graduation plans:
"I am currently an undergraduate student here at Virginia Tech. Upon graduating, I hope to pursue a Master’s Degree in the field of International Development, apply to Fulbright to receive a research grant, and eventually attain my doctorate degree. My interests lie in gender equality in education and youth empowerment as a means to alleviate global poverty, so I believe WGD has given me a great start."
How has the WGD program influenced your future?
"As an undergraduate student, it can be difficult to know in which direction you want your life to go. Thankfully, my experiences with Dr. Maria Elisa Christie and the rest of the WGD team helped me find the path that I want to pursue. Working with WGD has been my first exposure to the complexity of the developing world. The experience has also opened my eyes to how many opportunities there are for those interested in the international development field, especially for those who wish to apply a gender aspect to it. I have grown to become more interested in the qualitative research aspect of development and my experiences with the team helped me realize that it takes a variety of skilled individuals to truly make a difference; this has made me excited to work in a team someday."
