Salut (Hello), my name is Jackie! I am 24 years old and spent most of my life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I was born. I am a huge Steelers and Penguins fan and I follow Pittsburgh sports no matter where I am in the world. After high school, I went to college at the University of Richmond in Virginia where I studied international relations and French. Although I had never traveled before, I took every opportunity to see the world while I was at school. I studied in France, Switzerland, Scotland and Indonesia! In each country I visited, I loved to see how people interacted with each other and welcomed outsiders into their lives.
From this interest, I began to study immigration and refugee studies while still in college. After college, I received a U.S. Fulbright Research Grant to analyze how refugees integrate in Geneva, Switzerland. For the next year, I will be in Geneva working with the local government and organizations to better understand programs that they offer to refugees settling in the area. Though the country is known for its cheese and chocolate, I hope to give you even more insight into Swiss culture throughout this winter!
