Student Internships - Fall 2023

Daniela Castaño Lavado, Case Work Manager Intern. International Rescue Committee. 

My name is Daniela Castaño Lavado, and I am originally from Colombia. I completed my undergraduate studies at the Universidad de Caldas with a degree in Modern Languages. Currently, I am a student in the French M.A. program at GSU, where I work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, gaining experience as a French tutor and instructor. I have taught face-to-face and online elementary French courses and have served as a section leader for online teaching. My academic work is focused on foreign language teaching, applied linguistics, and intercultural studies. I served as the President of the French Club at GSU and have led different language session activities with students from various majors. In Spring 2023, I interned at the Consulate General of France in Atlanta in the education service, working actively in the Dual Language program and French for All initiatives in Atlanta. This Fall, 2023, I work as a Case Work Manager intern at the International Rescue Committee in Atlanta, where I help with language interpretation and provide assistance to refugees. After graduation, I would like to teach or pursue a Ph.D.

Lux Chavez, Event Coordinator intern. French American Chamber of Commerce

My name is Lux Chavez, and I am a senior at Georgia State University, where I am pursuing my passion for languages and international business. With a degree in French and a concentration in international business, my goal is to learn about different cultures and foster global connections. My academic pursuits are complemented by a minor in hospitality administration. I chose this minor due to my interest in ensuring those who I have the opportunity of assisting while working in the field have a memorable and comfortable experience due to my ability to deal effectively with cultural differences. I currently work as the Event Coordinator intern at the French American Chamber of Commerce, where I play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of various events and functions. My main responsibility revolves around the digital realm, as I manage and create content for the organization's social media platforms.

Uche Chukwuemelie. Operations and Administration intern. International Rescue Committee

Uche Chukwuemelie is from Nigeria and is currently a graduate student in the French M.A. program with a concentration in French Studies at GSU, where she is also a Graduate Teaching Assistant. She graduated from the University of Nigeria Nsukka and obtained a B.A. in Foreign Languages and Literature. As an Immigration Officer in Nigeria, she has received specialized training on migration and passenger clearance procedures and training on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants. Currently, she is interning with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as an Operations and Administration intern, where she works at the front office and assists the Administrative Assistant in administrative and operational tasks as well as a French interpreter. Her main duties include managing the reception area and materials, welcoming clients and visitors, answering clients’ inquiries, and directing requests to the appropriate department and/or staff members. These duties also involve liaising with office and equipment maintenance providers and other external parties as needed to support office operations and other duties as assigned.

Xavier Davis. Business Development Intern. French American Chamber of Commerce

Xavier Davis is currently pursuing a B.A. in French with a concentration in French for International Business at GSU. This semester, I am working as a Business Development Intern at the French American Chamber of Commerce (FACC) in Atlanta. I am in charge of researching and discovering new Franco-American businesses in Georgia for networking and outreach purposes. I partake in some minor social media presence and work directly with the Marketing and Communications intern to promote the events organized by the FACC.

Whitman Shifflet, Educational Services Intern. Alliance Française

Whitman Shifflet is a World Languages Major with a concentration in French. He volunteered for the grand opening of the Franco-German Cultural Center in 2022 and is currently working as an intern for educational services at the Alliance Française. His responsibilities include working with and observing teachers at the center as well as helping to plan educational events such as field trips and movies. After graduating, he intends to become a French teacher in a public school.

Alexandria Poll, Communications Intern. Alliance Française

Alexandria Poll is originally from Washington State and chose to move to Georgia to pursue her studies. Today, she studies at Georgia State University with a B.A. degree in Journalism with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in French. Alexandria is well versed in her work-life balance as she navigates an 18-credit-hour semester along with a job and an internship. Outside of school, she clocks in around 25 hours a week at her serving job to help with the expenses of school. Additionally, she works as an intern for the Alliance Française d’Atlanta. During this internship, she worked mainly in office work and receptionist duties. Her work is completely in French, and she has the pleasure of creating mass emails for the staff and other outside workers as needed. She also hosts many of the Alliance’s meetings, in which she prepares refreshments and converses with board members and students. Alexandria plans to attend law school after her B.A. and hopes that her knowledge of French will give her a different insight into her future cases.

Mary Zakutansky, Administrative Intern. Alliance Française Atlanta

Mary Zakutansky is working to earn her B.A. in French with a concentration in International Business and a minor in Applied Linguistics. She is currently interning at the Alliance Française in Atlanta, where she helps with student communications and administrative work. She also volunteered during the inauguration of the Franco-German Cultural Center, a partnership of the Alliance Française and the Goethe Zentrum. She led a group of high school volunteers at the French Market event 2022. She has a TEFL certification and completed her TEFL practicum teaching English virtually to students at El Centro Hispano in Durham, NC. She traveled abroad to Budapest, Hungary, where she participated in the Hungarian Foundation Program at Eötvös Loránd University. She hopes to use her love of language, culture, and traveling to help promote intercultural fluency through diplomacy, hospitality, and education.

Student Internships - Spring 2023

Daniela Castaño Lavado, Educational Services Intern, Consulate General of France

Daniela Castaño Lavado is originally from Colombia and completed her undergraduate studies at the Universidad de Caldas with a degree in Modern Languages. Currently, she is a student in the French M.A. program at GSU, where she works as a Graduated Teaching Assistant, gaining experience as a French tutor and instructor. She has taught face-to-face and online elementary French courses and has served as a section leader for online teaching. Her academic work is focused on foreign language teaching, applied linguistics, and intercultural studies. Daniela is the President of the French Club at GSU and has led different language session activities with students from all majors. She is an intern at the Consulate General of France in Atlanta . She has worked actively in the Dual Language program and French for All initiatives of the French Consulate in Atlanta. After graduation, she would like to teach or pursue a Ph.D.

Uche Chukwuemelie, Operations and Administration Intern, International Rescue Committee

Uche Chukwuemelie is from Nigeria and is currently a graduate student in the French M.A. program with a concentration in French Studies at GSU, where she is also a Graduate Teaching Assistant. She is a graduate of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, where she obtained a B.A. in Foreign Languages and Literature. As an Immigration Officer in Nigeria, she has received specialized training on migration and passenger clearance procedures as well as training on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants. Currently, she is interning with the International Rescue Committee as an Operations and Administration intern, where she works at the front office and assists the Administrative Assistant in administrative and operational tasks as well as a French interpreter. Her main duties include managing the reception area and materials, welcoming clients and visitors, answering clients’ inquiries, and directing requests to the appropriate department and/or staff members. These duties also involve liaising with office and equipment maintenance providers and other external parties as needed to support office operations and other duties as assigned.

Xavier Davis, Marketing and Communications Coordinator Intern, French American Chamber of Commerce

Xavier Davis is currently pursuing a B.A. in French with a concentration in French for International Business at GSU. This semester, he works as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the French American Chamber of Commerce (FACC) in Atlanta. He is in charge of the FACC’s social media presence and works directly with the Event Coordinator intern to promote the events organized by the FACC.

Olivia Hayden, Event Coordinator Intern, French American Chamber of Commerce

Olivia Hayden is finishing her B.A. in French with a concentration in International Business and a minor in marketing. She has volunteered for events in the Atlanta area that relate to her interest in French language and business, such as the inauguration of the Alliance Française Atlanta, co-moderated an event with the President, Vice President, and Executive Director of the French American Chamber of Commerce (FACC), and participated in WomenLead business events. After graduation, she aspires to continue her education abroad and teach English in a Francophone country and eventually work for an international company where she will use her French as well as her marketing and business skills. Currently, she is an intern at the French American Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta, where she helps manage events and marketing communication. Olivia works closely with the director of the FACC to aid in creating graphics and images that will attract new members and promote the events of the French American Chamber of Commerce.

Jayla Jackson, Early Employment Intern, International Rescue Committee

Jayla Jackson is an undergraduate student in the French B.A. program, and her concentration is in French for International Business. Last semester, Jayla worked as an intern at the Alliance Française, where she helped with important needs of the organization, specifically with tasks associated with memberships, education, and customer service. She currently interns at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Atlanta as a remote Employment Specialist. As an Employment Specialist, she is responsible for organizing information about every client who seeks employment in a well-organized manner. She also has to pay great attention to detail when it comes to creating documents for each client. Jayla's internship also allows her to have the chance to translate or interpret for clients with difficulty in the English language.

Eden Landwermeyer, Marketing and Communication Intern, Alliance Française Atlanta

Eden Landwermeyer is an undergraduate student at Georgia State University and is currently pursuing both a B.A. in French Language with a concentration in International Business and a minor in Korean Language. This semester, she is an intern at the Alliance Française in Atlanta, where she has designed multiple promotional flyers for events, classes, and general ads. She has worked closely with the leadership team to design these graphics and works in an effort to recruit new members.

Molly Penny, Cultural Services Intern, Consulate General of France

Molly Penny is a master's student in the GSU French M.A. program and a Graduate Teaching Assistant currently teaching two introductory-level French courses. She is also a graduate of the University of Alabama, where she earned bachelor's degrees in both Musical Theatre and French. An Atlanta-based theatre artist, Molly is working to combine her two areas of focus through research on theatre as a pedagogical tool for language-learning and postcolonial francophone theatre. As an intern for the Atlanta branch of Villa Albertine, the new cultural arm of the French Embassy in the United States, she has the unique opportunity to further combine her arts and French skills, helping to facilitate and assist with Villa Albertine's Artist in Residence program, as well as other cultural programming such as Night of Ideas.

Ava Stapleton, Customer Service and Education Intern, Alliance Française Atlanta

Ava Stapleton is currently finishing a bachelor’s degree in French with a concentration in International Business, as well as a minor in English and a second minor in Journalism. Ava has completed a Maymester in Tours, France, for which she received the Gilman Scholarship as well as the International Access Scholarship. A student in the Honors College, Ava aspires to engage fully in her academic endeavors, applying almost a decade of customer service experience to her work with the Alliance Française of Atlanta. One example of how she does this is by volunteering for and helping with event coordination, a skill that she acquired via her full-time bartending job that hosts several private events a week. She hopes to gain experience and a potential career in education in the future, and her internship at the Alliance Française of Atlanta is where she exercises this skillset and learns from executive director Richard Keatley, programs coordinator Camile Eggerman, and Education and Business Manager, Valérie Gaudemer-Maker.