This summer Robertson, a second-year law student, will return to Geneva where this time, he will work at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights helping to plan the World Conference Against Racism scheduled for next year in Africa. Other interns are headed for Argentina, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Honduras, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Northern Ireland and the Philippines. In four short years, the program that placed only two interns in its initial year has sent 25 students to work at more than 30 governmental and non-governmental agencies dealing with international human rights issues. The interns have served on six continents working in more than 20 countries, including Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Russia, and South Africa. International human rights is an area where our students can make a valuable, rich, substantial impact on the lives of people around the world.
Students receive academic credit for their internships.
No other Indiana university offers an international human rights summer program like that at IU School of Law at Indianapolis, Edwards said. Along with the service element, the overseas program provides a rich, cultural and educational experience for his students, Edwards said. A thick photo album stashed on a bookcase contains dozens of pictures of students on the field assignments, along with photos of students and Edwards with the likes of such people as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O Connor, Nelson Mandela, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and dozens of heads of state, ambassadors and U.N. representatives. The growth of the Program in International Human Rights Law has been surprising and phenomenal, Edwards said. Now students are choosing the school because of this program, the professor said.