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Student's interests unite in internship

Senior will help fight AIDS in Ethiopia in program

By Portia-Elaine Gant
The Daily Cougar

For Kassaye Kassaye, a summer internship is a way to give back to his homeland.

Kassaye, a political science senior, will travel to Ethiopia this summer to deal directly with the AIDS virus in orphanages by raising funds and awareness to combat the disease. Itis a unique opportunity for him to combine an interest in public policy with family heritage.

"My family is from Ethiopia, and Iive been doing community service my whole life. Itis very important for me to give back to Ethiopia," Kassaye said. "AIDS is one of the leading topics in the world. I want to go into public policy, and Iill be dealing directly with their national government as well as the American embassy."

Kassaye, a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, received the first fellowship from People to People, an organization that promotes AIDS education.

"My fraternity helped sponsor this trip. The organization provides $200 the whole time youire there. The Eta Mu chapter gave me $1,000," Kassaye said.

Because of his heritage and past trips to Ethiopia, Kassaye said he has few apprehensions about the two-month program, for which he will leave Friday.

"The program really insists that you know the culture. Itis perfect for me, because even though I was born here, Iim Ethiopian before Iim American," he said. "I knew Amharic (Ethiopiais most popular language) before I knew English. I knew that culture before I knew American culture."

The time in Ethopia will also give Kassaye the chance to bond with his family.

"When I go there, Iill also be able to hang out with my family and cousins that I havenit had a chance to see in a while," he said.

But community outreach remains his focus.

"Iid like to help and educate as many people as I can. Iid like to exchange knowledge and technology with the directors of the program and with the actual organization, because I feel that to share your experience and your knowledge will enable them to benefit even when youire gone," Kassaye said.

Although he only received notice of his internship three weeks ago, Kassaye said he is already reaping the benefits of the program.

"While Iim there, Iill get to go into the Royal Palace, which does not offer tours like we do of the White House. No one goes in the palace," Kassaye said. "Also, there was a ... fund-raiser for the organization to let people know what they were. I met the former ambassador to Ethiopia, and we got to know each other very well," Kassaye said.

People to People also teaches its fellows about whatis needed to become a business owner in Ethiopia.

"One of the goals of the organization is to bring youth to Ethiopia and other countries that need a progressive-minded attitude. Theyire going to teach me the ins and outs of opening my own business in Ethiopia," Kassaye said.

That idea was not far from Kassayeis mind, and it is one of the reasons he was so eager to participate in the program.

"Iive always wanted to go back when I had the means to start a youth-oriented organization to help the community," he said. "I feel like this fellowship was made for me. Itis the perfect opportunity."
 

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