LH
Laura Heaton
  • nonprofit administration
  • Class of 2015
  • South Euclid, OH

Laura Heaton Chosen to Work at the United Nations World Food Programme this Summer

2015 Jul 20

Laura Heaton is one of four John Carroll students chosen to have the opportunity to gain professional experience at the United Nations World Food Programme this summer.

The newly established Hal '81 and Diane Hawk and Carl Hughes '79 World Food Programme (WFP) Fellowship allows JCU students to work for two months at United Nations offices. Two students are assigned to the U.S. Relations Office in Washington, D.C., and two will be at the WFP's headquarters in Rome.

Heaton will be working at the Washington, D.C. office from June 1 to July 31, 2015. She is assigned to a Senior Policy Advisor, conducting research in relation to the World Bank.

Heaton explained why she applied for the Fellowship: “I have always wanted to gain experience with a global nonprofit organization,” she said. “The opportunity to work with the United Nations World Food Programme was one I never expected would come my way! I felt like I would be a good fit for the opportunity and it would benefit my future career prospects.”

"This is the exciting, actually just remarkable, brainchild of Carl Hughes and Hal Hawk and his wife Diane," explained Pam Mason, associate dean for social sciences, education, and global studies. "It happened fast, "Mason added.

The WFP Fellowship program launched in January and is open to any student of any major, both undergraduate and graduate, with a preference for graduate students, juniors, and seniors. On-campus information sessions, held in March, attracted more than 90 students.

Two graduating seniors and two graduating master's students were selected for this summer's WFP Fellowship program.