Elisabeth Henifin

(Amber Marsh, left, and Elisabeth Henifin, right)

Beginning this July I will start at the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver. I was accepted into their Advanced Standing program, which means I will be able to get my Masters of Social Work degree in one year, instead of two. I have a particular passion for international social work and human rights issues so I will be in the “Leadership for Community and Organizational Practice Track” in the graduate program’s Community Concentration. This track has a focus on advocacy and international policy development. While I was a junior at Christopher Newport University, I began doing research on policy and the international problem of human trafficking and I hope that while in graduate school at the University of Denver I can continue my research and discover ways that I can become involved in the movement to end human trafficking in a stronger capacity. The University of Denver has an amazing internationally-aware campus body, which will give me incredible opportunities to become involved in movements and task forces that address the issues that I am passionate about seeing change in.

One interesting thing about the University of Denver is that it offers a dual-degree program between the Graduate School of Social Work and the Graduate School of International Studies. One concentration that the latter offers is a Masters in International Human Rights. I am currently considering the possibility of being able to obtain a Masters degree from both programs within two years. After I leave the University of Denver I have dreams of impacting globally change by working for the United Nations, or the Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons at the US Department of State, or even in an influential non-governmental organization somewhere in the world.

(Elisabeth at the Ninth Annual Honors Celebration)