Kimberly Thomas

 

“My name is Kimberly Thomas and I am a double major in Spanish and International Studies and a minor in U.S. Latino/a Studies.  This summer, I was fortunate enough to do an internship with the USLS department.

I interned at the Iowa State Capitol in the Latino Affairs Office at the Iowa Department of Human Rights. I worked with the office director, Soñia Reyes-Snyder, who works with numerous immigrant outreach programs. Working with Soñia, I learned so much about the resources the state of Iowa has for immigrants and refugees, which is exactly the kind of work I am looking for after college.

I also got to experience the ins and outs of a government job. Some projects we worked on this summer were things like Latino Profiles, which were interviews of Latinx community members all across the state of Iowa, and a complete guide to public schools specifically designed for students who are experiencing the public school system in the United States for the very first time. It included everything from how your GPA works to what to expect at prom. I am so grateful for my experience at the Capitol!”