Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges.
Each year, one Pascale International Fellow was chosen from McGill University and one from Yale College. The Pascale International Fellows worked full-time with the CGI on its outreach efforts, partnership opportunities, special projects, extensive research support, and project management.
Thanks to the generosity of James Pascale and Joseph K. Pascale, the fellows received a stipend to assist with summer expense.
2015
Thomas D'Arcy Williams
2014
Farah Momen
2013
Anna Lermer
2012
Carissa Connelly
2011
Sean Stefanik
Past Recipients
Thomas D'Arcy Williams is a McGill graduate with Honors International Development Studies and a minor in Political Science. Growing up in West Africa, D'Arcy spent most of his life in Washington, DC. before coming to McGill. In 2013, D'Arcy was awarded the Allan Hodgson Arts Internship Award for his public health internship in Nepal. As the Pascale International Fellow, D'Arcy will be interning with the Global Health Department at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York.
Reach D'Arcy tdwilliams19 [at] gmail.com (here).
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During summer 2015, I completed a four-month fellowship with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in New York City. I was the Global Health Intern and worked in CGI’s Commitments Department. I was part of a team of inspiring young professionals that worked to bring leaders from both the private and public sectors together around pertinent global health issues. I assisted in the research, design, and content programming of global health sessions at major CGI events, most notably the 2015 Annual Meeting. During these sessions I was in charge of producing high-level meeting notes and conveying technical health dialogue into accessible language. I consulted on and copy-edited project proposals, including concept, implementation plan, metrics, and monitoring and evaluation. I was given the opportunity to be exposed to conversations and professionals in a variety of global health fields such as sexual and reproductive health, maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases, mental health, and health system strengthening. Such exposure, after only just graduating, was incredibly inspiring and meaningful.
My experience with CGI has been instrumental in my professional development. Before CGI I only had ever experienced field level internships, and had never set foot in a formal office setting. The Clinton Foundation Internship Program is a phenomenal professional and educational experience. It is a professional development boot camp, supplying participants with a huge skillset to take onto new endeavours. The wonderful and supportive networks created have proved invaluable. I am grateful to this experience for helping me land a 6-month position with a global health NGO based in Washington DC, Population Services International.
I would like to say a special thank you to the Internship Office Network and the James Pascale International Fellows Program for this once in a lifetime opportunity. I really couldn’t have done it without you.
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2014 Fellow: Farah Momen, BA Geography
Farah Momen graduated from McGill University with a B.A. in Geography and minors in English Literature and Hispanic Languages. She moved to Montreal from Congers, NY in 2010 and has since been involved in various projects pertaining to issues of human rights and equity. In 2012, she was an intern for a radio station in Ghana through Journalists for Human Rights and was awarded the Liz Gomery & Stefan Fews Arts Internship Award. While there, she produced stories about local human rights issues including a nationally broadcasted radio documentary about unsafe abortions. She served as President of Journalists for Human Rights at McGill, overseeing media projects and hosting events that facilitated discussions with students, professors and activists. She was the recipient of the Bryce Arts Internship Award in 2013 for her grant writing internship with Pueblito Canada, an NGO that promotes innovative educational development in Nicaragua. She continued working with them after her internship, coordinating Pueblito’s recruitment and fundraising efforts for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. As the 2014 Pascale Fellow, she will be working with the Press team at the Clinton Foundation where she will be fielding communications, drafting briefings and preparing for the Annual Meeting in September.
Reach Farah farah.momen [at] gmail.com (here).
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2013 Fellow: Anna Lermer, BEng Mechanical
Anna Lermer is a 2013 McGill graduate with a major in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Environmental Engineering. Over the course of her undergraduate degree she has developed an interest in environmental policy, sustainability, and international development. In her third year she went on exchange to EPFL, a leading European technical institute in Switzerland. There she was exposed to innovative technology in the environmental engineering field, contributing to her keen interest in sustainable energy systems. This experience also gave her a chance to immerse herself in the French language. In addition to her academics, Anna has been involved with the McGill Chapter of Engineers Without Borders Canada, where she developed strong leadership skills and a deep understanding of the international development sector. This past summer she worked as a Social Change Fellow at the organization’s National Office in Toronto, Canada. Building on this experience, Anna also took on the role as President of the McGill chapter over the 2012-2013 school year. After her time with CGI Anna will be starting a second internship in Paris at a climate engineering company, in efforts to ensure that the built environment has the lowest ecological impact possible.
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The Clinton Foundation builds partnerships of great purpose between businesses, governments, NGOs, and individuals everywhere to deliver lasting solutions and empower people to live better lives. I worked at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), one of the Clinton Foundation's nine initiatives. CGI is a member-based organization whose main pillar is its Commitment to Action model. This means that all of its members are required to make a Commitment to Action, whether in core business, corporate social responsibility, or philanthropy. CGI houses these commitments under nine tracks ranging from Girls & Women to Environmental Stewardship. To facilitate collaboration amongst executives, NGO leaders, and government officials, where they have a chance to network, share their commitments, and participate in a variety of high-level workshops/sessions over three days.
My internship was spent on the Energy Track of CGI's Commitment Department. There I was asked to do a variety of tasks, including: 1) developing/editing new Commitments to Action; 2) editing Progress Reports; 3) researching topics, and organizations related to the Energy Track; and 4) note-taking during track convenings and meetings. This work was rewarding, especially when I got to see it come to fruition at the Annual Meeting.
This internship was a unique experience that would not have been possible without the support of James Pascale. His generous fellowship enabled me to live in New York and support myself through the course of this internship.
2012 Fellow: Carissa Connelly, BA Honours International Development Studies
Carissa Connelly is in her final year of Honors International Development, with an emphasis on economic empowerment, social entrepreneurship, and fair trade. During the summer of 2012 she will work in data management and communications at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, thanks to the Pascale International Fellows Program at the Clinton Foundation. Her main interest is on the growing overlap between private and civil organizations that pursue social improvements. Her interest in international development propelled her to work in non-profit organizations in disaster response in the Philippines and ecological conservation in Brazil (2010 and 2008 respectively). Her most recent internship for a Nicaraguan manufacturing company involved the research, analysis, and the writing of a due diligence report. With her initiative, the company will now be able to offer employees financed housing options, subsidize employees’ household income by ensuring their food security with an agricultural cooperative, and subsidize employees’ children’s education. Carissa received the Carol and Lloyd Darlington Arts Internship Award for this 5-month internship in 2011. Originally from the United States, Carissa has enjoyed traveling throughout twenty-seven countries and has spent the last five years living abroad. Her love of languages has been fuelled by her travels and curiosity to understand different cultures: Carissa is currently pursuing fluency in her third and fourth languages.
2011 Fellow: Sean Stefanik, BA Political Science and History
Sean Stefanik is a fourth-year student at McGill University, currently completing a joint honours degree in Political Science and History. His main academic interest is in the field of public health policy. After spending two summers working for Youth Justice Services in Ontario, Sean took advantage of one of the many internship opportunities offered through the Faculty of Arts Internship Office. In the summer of 2010, he spent three months working for Liverpool VCT, Care and Treatment, a Kenyan NGO that specializes in HIV-related research and service delivery. He received the Allan A. Hodgson Internship Award in support of this internship. This summer, he will continue his work in the public health field at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. Sean is currently the President of the McGill Debating Union, the largest and most successful debate team in the country, and finished as the top Canadian team at the 2011 World Championships in Botswana.