STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Remote internship with UNESCO gives student direct experience with pandemic response

Laura Guay

Laura Guay

Senior, Biobehavioral Health

Laura Guay was planning to spend her 2020 summer and fall semesters in France working for UNESCO. Unfortunately, the global coronavirus pandemic turned those plans upside down. Without the option to travel because of restrictions, Guay was unsure how this disruption would affect her experiences.

Fortunately, Guay was able to continue with the internship, which UNESCO transitioned to a remote experience, and she settled into a routine of working at home and in socially distanced spaces.

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Anticipated Graduation: May 2021

Guay, a senior majoring in biobehavioral health, continues to work with UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector Youth Programme on a variety of projects, including Youth as Researchers, a global initiative that works to engage young people around the world in active research projects related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guay herself participated in a previous iteration of the Youth as Researchers program while at Penn State, and is eager to help organize the program for a new group of young people.

“I’ve really seen how young people take a situation, particularly the global pandemic, and make the most of it in their own way, initiating efforts in their own communities to make active change.”

Additionally, Guay helps organize the Global Youth Community, a platform that works to connect youth leaders in local communities to UNESCO and global initiatives. She also interviews and writes stories about young people working in their communities to build peace and encourage activism as part of a project designed to prevent violent extremism around the world.

Although the original plan was to work on these initiatives with a team in France, Guay still has connected with her colleagues, worked effectively and productively, and—something she was really looking forward to—used her French language skills.

“At the beginning, I wasn’t so positive about it or optimistic, but I now realize that I have never felt more connected to a team and more like my contributions are valued than I do with working remotely.  Everyone is so responsive and engaged, and I now know this is something I can do, and look forward to doing, remotely.”

Guay has found support to pursue this opportunity through the global health minor and the support of Dana Naughton, the director of the program, who helped her design this as her fieldwork experience for the minor. She was also encouraged to pursue the UNESCO fellow opportunity by Meg Small, assistant research professor and director of the Health and Human Development Design for Impact Lab; and Joshua Smyth, distinguished professor of biobehavioral health and medicine director of the Stress, Health, and Daily Experiences Lab. Guay has been the recipient of several scholarships and awards including the Edith Pitt Chace Scholarship, the Helen Hintz Biobehavioral Health Scholarship, the Jane B. Slep Honors Scholarship, and the Frances DiGeso Women’s Leadership Award.

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The student experience in 2020 was unique in the history of Penn State. Many traditional hallmarks of student life were altered by our inability to gather in large groups. However, our students have shown resilience, tenacity, and the ability to work together.  WE ARE…