On September 28, 2016, the Strauss Center’s 2016 Crook Fellows presented their experiences working in the field of international development over the past summer. This year’s seven LBJ School students worked in internships in the Dominican Republic, Nepal, Switzerland, Uganda, and Washington, D.C.

Brent Perdue began the presentation by introducing the organization with which he collaborated, FUNDSAZURZA, to expand and streamline recycling programs in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Mr. Perdue succeeded in helping to develop systems for FUNDSAZURZA that reduced the inefficiencies of double counting and helped expand the recycling programs further throughout the city of Santo Domingo.

Aaron Milner joined the forum virtually, as he is continuing his studies at the LBJ School’s Washington Center. His presentation ably described the environment in which he worked–Mr. Milner’s work over the summer was done at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.–and the paths through which well-developed ideas about international development must go before becoming a reality.

Lauren Toppenberg completed her summer’s work with the Bread for the World, where she contributed to the compilation of the organization’s 2016 hunger report. Importantly, Ms. Toppenberg’s contributions centered on developing better measurement for development standards, and improving accuracy in data collection and understanding.

Laura Richards, who worked with the Women of Uganda Network, shared her experiences as an interviewee who was asked about women’s rights in a country to which she was not native, and also about her role in helping expand capacity for monitoring civil society and governance participation.

Anna Koons, who worked with the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) this summer, also focused on improved data, but most critically, on how best to apply future aid based on better understanding of the data received by development organizations.

Paul Ryan, who worked in Nepal for the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition (ISET), worked closely with a network of policy professionals within the country who tracked climate change and environmental loss. His experiences led him to help locals bridge the gap between intentions and information in search of greater understanding of the effects of climate change in Nepal.

Finally, Patricia Zavala, who worked at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, shared her experiences as an intern with the UN Development Programme (UNDP). During her time in Geneva, she was involved with the Climate Vulnerable Forum, an initiative built by and for the countries most vulnerable to the effects of global climate change.

The program is funded by the Eleanor Crook Foundation named in honor of William H. Crook, a pioneer in global development. Ambassador Crook established the Office of Economic Opportunity at the request of President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 and was national director of Volunteers in Service to America, now known as AmeriCorps. He also served as Ambassador to Australia. Upon returning to Texas, he had a distinguished career in business and remained active in poverty relief, establishing two orphanages in Ethiopia during the 1985 famine.

Learn more about the William H. Crook Program in International Affairs program here.

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