“My main focus is on refugee rights policies, which entails a lot of research, reading, writing, and drafting work that helps advocate for refugees in Canada, and using this research to come up with recommendations for political officials to take into consideration.”
— Erin Kehler, BA History, 2020
The Laurentian Leadership Centre (LLC) is Trinity Western University’s competitive residential internship program in Ottawa. Successful applicants spend a semester in Ottawa studying courses in government and public policy, while interning with the government or non-governmental organizations based in the nation’s capital.
Erin Kehler, one of the students from this fall’s LLC cohort, shared her experiences of living and working in Ottawa this fall. She is majoring in History and will graduate in December.
Kehler works at Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ), an organization that influences social and environmental policy, as a Refugee Rights Policy Intern.
“CPJ's main point of action is to seek human flourishing as a dutiful and faithful response to God's call for love and justice,” Kehler explained.
“Their goal is to promote this sense of public justice in Canada by analyzing, creating, and shaping public policy debates through extensive analysis, research, publishing, and public dialogue.”
In describing her role, Kehler said, “My main focus is on refugee rights policies, which entails a lot of research, reading, writing, and drafting work that helps advocate for refugees in Canada, and using this research to come up with recommendations for political officials to take into consideration.”
Kehler also conducts research and analysis for public policy, and contributes to various projects and campaigns.
She shared that her passion for social justice motivated her to take up this internship. “Though my focus is history, I have always had an interest in social and public justice and hold a strong belief that all of God's creation deserves to feel safe and cared for, regardless of their race, class, gender, sexual orientation, or any other form of marginalization.”
“Because CPJ's beliefs follow along the same lines as mine, I was really excited to be learning and working alongside them,” she said.
Kehler has also enjoyed the challenge of her work. “This internship has been an extensive learning process for me, and though that can be mentally taxing, I have found it to be one of my favorite aspects of the job.”
She continued, “Getting to learn how an office environment works, how to diverge from academic writing, and how public policy and advocacy really works has been a very beneficial and informational experience for me.”
Kehler is looking forward to greater learning. “I am excited to see what this opportunity will bring me and to see where God is calling me to be.”
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has five campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, Ottawa, and Bellingham, WA. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.