Page 5 - Human Rights Program 2025 Annual Report

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WORDS FROM OUR ALUMNI
MHR Student Awards Winners
MHR Student Awards Winners
2024-2025
2024-2025
“I am a pediatrician and general
internist, and I use the skills and
knowledge I gained during the program
Congratulations to Our
Students!
every day in my work seeing patients at
a local federally qualified health care
Award for Excellence in Global Policy Award for Excellence in Global Policy
The program has The program has
center.
Morgan Coleman
given me skills to advocate for my
given me skills to advocate for my
Marcela Vargas
patients, both in the exam room and
patients, both in the exam room and
“
in our larger context.”
in our larger context.”
Student Commencement Speaker Student Commencement Speaker
Morgan Coleman
Dr. Calla Brown
Dr. Calla Brown, MD, MHR,
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics,
University of Minnesota
Sharon Grimes Human Rights
Sharon Grimes Human Rights
Fellowship
Fellowship
Hank Hellstrom
“Through courses focused on narrative
building and shifting, policy advocacy,
public speaking, and more,
I constructed I constructed
I constructed a toolkit of necessary
a toolkit of necessary skills and a
a toolkit of necessary skills and a
skills and a perspective grounded in
perspective grounded in human dignity.
perspective grounded in human dignity.
I’m currently applying these lessons as
I lead a feasibility study on reentry
models and best practices for freed and
exonerated individuals.”
Class of ’99 Paul and Sheila
Class of ’99 Paul and Sheila
Wellstone Award
Wellstone Award
Nataya Paisley
Sullivan Ballou Award Sullivan Ballou Award
Skye Cronje
Hayley Poxleitner
Lloyd B. Short Award for
Lloyd B. Short Award for
Best Master's Paper
Best Master's Paper
Olivia Fried
Sophia Lackens
Hayley Poxleitner, Director of
Communications & Community
Outreach, Great North Innocence
Project
Barbara Frey Fellowship and
Barbara Frey Fellowship and
Diversity Paper Award
Diversity Paper Award
Léocadia Tchouaffé
“The MHR degree provided me with a strong foundation in international
human rights frameworks, critical legal analysis, and social justice advocacy.
The program sharpened my investigative skills, deepened my understanding The program sharpened my investigative skills, deepened my understanding
The program sharpened my investigative skills, deepened my understanding
”
of systemic discrimination, and prepared me to navigate complex cases of systemic discrimination, and prepared me to navigate complex cases
of systemic discrimination, and prepared me to navigate complex cases with
with cultural competence and legal precision.” with cultural competence and legal precision.”
cultural competence and legal precision.
Maryam Ahmed, Human Rights Investigator, Minnesota Department of
Human Rights
Maryam Ahmed