The Burns H. Weston Funded Human Rights Internship Program provides funding for a UI College of Law student to intern with an organization, such as Human Rights Watch, that focuses on human rights advocacy. For more information, contact Amy Weismann (amy-weismann@uiowa.edu).

About the program

The Burns H. Weston Funded Internship promotes and recognizes an outstanding law student working in international human rights issues. It also aims to promote understanding and the continuing advancement of human rights in the United States and abroad as well as honor Weston, the founding director and now senior scholar of UICHR, professor Emeritus of the UI College of Law and an internationally renowned scholar in international human rights law.

2013 Recipient

Isaac Smith

Law Student, College of Law
Human Rights First
Washington, DC

Isaac Smith is a law student at the University of Iowa College of Law. This summer, he will intern at the Refugee Protection Program at Human Rights First in Washington, D.C. where he will work with attorneys to provide indigent asylum seekers with quality representation in their cases. Prior to attending law school, Isaac worked in Vietnam doing economic and community development. He has also served as an AmeriCorps volunteer paralegal with the ABA’s South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project, helping detained immigrants with their cases. Isaac graduated from Goshen College with a B.A. in History.

2012 Recipient

Beatriz Gonzalez

Law Student, College of Law
Bacon Immigration Law and Policy Program
University of Arizona, Rogers College of Law
Tucson, Arizona

Beatriz Gonzalez is a law student at the University of Iowa College of Law. During the summer of 2012 she will be working for the Bacon Immigration Law and Policy Program at the University of Arizona Rogers College of Law on a project that seeks to document the frequency and nature of exploitation and abuse of low-wage immigrant women workers in Tucson. Prior to attending law school Beatriz worked as an executive producer in Spanish language broadcasting in Austin, Texas. There she covered various issues facing the immigrant population such as discrimination, workers' rights and social equality. She has a B.A. in Broadcast Communications from St. Mary's University in San Antonio and is fluent in Spanish and English.

2010 Recipient

Michael Judd

Law Student, College of Law
Children's Division of Human Rights Watch
New York City, New York

Michael Judd is a law student at the University of Iowa College of Law. He will be working for the Child Rights Division of Human Rights Watch in New York City during the summer of 2010. Michael has attended Brigham Young and Princeton Universities, earning a B.A. in English and a B.S. in Economics. He is also a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

2009 Recipient

Sarah Pierce

Law Student, College of Law
Women's Division of Human Rights Watch
London, England

 Sarah Pierce is a law student at the University of Iowa College of Law. In the past she has interned for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Common Ground, and the Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado in Madrid, Spain. In the summer of 2009 she will be working for the Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch in London. Sarah has a B.A. in English and Spanish from Grinnell College. Her senior thesis focused on international legislation on child soldiers.