Documenting the largest solar installation project in Sri Lanka.

Observing business practices in South Africa and medical treatments in Peru.

Protecting coral reefs in Thailand.

These are among the initiatives undertaken by eight students over winter break as part of the 10th annual Klemm Fellow International Internships. This highly selective Union program funds service projects with community organizations that are centered around pressing global issues.

The students lived with host families on three continents, immersed themselves in unfamiliar cultures and, in some cases, learned new languages, all while serving local organizations.

“Our Klemm Fellows represent a range of backgrounds and skills across many different fields,” said Lara Atkins, director of International Programs. “Not only do they bring their unique strengths to bear upon pressing world concerns, but they return from their experiences with new perspectives about their future and how they might be of service on the world stage.”

Most travel and living costs for the Klemm Fellows are covered by Projects Abroad through the Professor Frederick A. Klemm and Eleanor G. Klemm Fund for International Study and Service.

Klemm, who taught German studies, is considered the father of terms abroad at Union. He inaugurated the first program in Vienna, Austria, in spring 1969, with 28 students. He died in 2010 at 97; his wife, Eleanor, died in 2004. The couple established the eponymous fellowship program to support students pursuing international careers in service.

The first Klemm Fellows went abroad in 2014.

“This is an amazing 10th anniversary group,” said Atkins. “We’re looking forward to an anniversary celebration in May that will highlight the great work they’ve done.”

That event will coordinate with Steinmetz Symposium, where this latest cohort of students will present their Klemm research and experiences.

This year’s Klemm faculty mentors were Mark Dallas, associate professor of political science, and Erika Nelson Mukherjee, associate professor of German studies, and director of gender, sexuality and women’s studies.

Here’s a look at the Fellows and their internships:

Sriya Baru '25: Maternity care and gynecology, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Hometown: Tinton Falls, N.J.
Major: Biology/psychology ID; Leadership in Medicine program

Cambodia has one of the world’s highest maternal and infant mortality rates, and its civil war in the 1960s and ’70s devastated its healthcare infrastructure.

As an intern in the maternity department of the public Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital (the “Russian Hospital”), Baru saw firsthand the realities of bringing life into this part of the world.

She worked closely with midwives in antenatal care, facilitating natural childbirth and postnatal care. She also observed the doctors as they handled high risk obstetrical procedures and a range of other surgeries.

“I learned a lot about how certain risk factors, like poverty, stress, poor nutrition, occupation (mainly agricultural jobs and manual labor) affect maternal and fetal health, and witnessed the kinds of complications that can arise as a result,” Baru said.

She also gained an understanding of the traumas inflicted by the Cambodian Civil War and Cambodian Genocide, which reverberate to this day. “The healthcare system has drastically improved, but I could still see the strain on resources, staff and training,” she said. “I am grateful to have been able to witness the resilience of the healthcare professionals as they navigated these challenges.”

Miranda Bossi '25: Biomedical engineering, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Hometown: New Hartford Center, Conn.
Major: Biomedical engineering
Minor: Mathematics

Working in Colombo’s sprawling, modern Access Towers office complex, Bossi interned at large civil engineering companies that are involved in multinational projects aimed at improving the Sri Lankan standard of living. She learned about a range of installation projects, from rural bridges to dairy factories.

Her most important projects involved solar and mineral excavation.

“I worked on the Religious Solar Installation Project, which encompassed over 5,000 religious buildings, including temples,” she said. “Each site will be equipped with approximately five kilowatts, which should cover all their electrical usage. This project will be the country’s largest solar installation project, with a total of 25 megawatts.”

Her internship opened her eyes to the power of international cooperation. “Sri Lanka went through a long and brutal civil war that ended in 2009, and since then, they have been trying to rebuild and strengthen their country,” Bossi said.

“I learned a lot about how to adapt engineering designs with limited resources, navigate regulatory challenges and collaborate across disciplines. This deepened my understanding of how engineering solutions can make a direct impact in underserved communities. It challenged me to adapt to a different engineering sector while allowing me to use skills I’ve learned in BME. And it showed me how interdisciplinary the engineering field is.”

Further enriching her fellowship, Bossi applied herself to learning Sinhala, the Indic language spoken by the people of Sri Lanka.

Honora Hillery '26: Teaching English, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Hometown: Alpine, Texas
Major: English

Hillery has always been intrigued by the art of mindfulness meditation. A sophomore year religious studies course in Zen Buddhism only heightened her interest in the Buddhist way of living. And with teaching as a potential career goal, she welcomed the chance to work on her own mindfulness practice while educating children in this South Asian island country.

Hillery taught English at a preschool and in a pirivena, a monastic school for those devoted to spiritual work. Mornings, she helped her youngest charges with the alphabet and other rudimentary language skills. Afternoons, ensconced in a Buddhist temple, she led a two-hour class for boys ages 7-16 on the path to becoming monks.

“My German studies minor gave me perspective for people who are studying English as a second language,” she noted.

Overall, said Hillery, “this project was one of the most amazing opportunities I have had. It definitely expanded my horizons and furthered my knowledge about a different culture.”

Gaku Iwata '26: International development, Cape Town, South Africa

Hometown: Tokyo
Major: Economics
Minor: Financial mathematics and anthropology

Iwata worked for Where Rainbows Meet, an NGO in the multicultural community of Vrygrond. The community has a significant history rooted in the Apartheid era, when many residents faced forced removals from their homes.

“Despite these challenges, the community persevered and has been rebuilding ever since. My role involved contributing to the development of IT programs, assisting fundraising efforts, managing the community gardens and helping with a program that provides nutritious meals to the local community.”

He appreciated being able to apply anthropological theories learned in several of his Union courses to real-world challenges and to observe the effects of socioeconomic initiatives at a grassroots level.

“This internship represented a significant step toward fulfilling my commitment to social justice and addressing socioeconomic challenges through community-based solutions,” he said. “I'm so grateful for this incredible opportunity to learn, grow professionally and personally, and contribute in such a vibrant and historically rich part of the world.”

Luke MacDonald '25: Business development, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Hometown: Hopkinton, Mass.
Major: Economics
Minor: Mathematics

MacDonald’s internship at Juulchin Tours, Mongolia’s oldest tourism agency, gave him an understanding of economic and business practices in another country. Focusing on expanding the market for Americans traveling to the country, he helped write promotional blogs and made a short promo video of a tour that is close to the capital city.

“Mongolia is a beautiful country that offers a wealth of incredible sights and fascinating culture, including the Gobi Desert, expansive grasslands and the traditional nomadic lifestyle,” he said.

After graduation, MacDonald plans a career in business, leveraging his dual citizenship in the Netherlands to explore global opportunities. He said his Dutch grandfather’s international business experience inspired him to follow in his footsteps.

And while he has held other business internships during his time at Union, as a Klemm Fellow, “I was able to broaden my scope of knowledge, experience alternative business practices and become immersed in a new culture.

“I lived with a host family that I absolutely loved. They spoke no English, so we had to communicate through Google Translate. It was always extremely cold and very eye opening to see how people lived in these conditions.”

Vishaal Nayagam '26: Health and medicine, Cusco, Peru

Hometown: Ramsey, N.J.
Major: Biology, Leadership in Medicine program

Nestled in the peaks of the Andes, the ancient city of Cusco has grown into a cultural melting pot, where Incan tradition mixes with Spanish colonial influences. For aspiring physician Nayagam, it offered an opportunity to observe and partake in medical procedures and operations in a variety of fields.

Working in Clinica Pardo just outside the city center, he volunteered in the operating room, emergency department and inpatient facility.

“I was able to gain hands-on experience and clinical skills,” he said, noting that in the OR, for instance, he watched operations in obstetrics, orthopedic surgery, colorectal surgery, maxillofacial surgery, general surgery and urology. “I learned about scrubbing in and maintaining a sterile environment, as well as procedures in wound dressing and post-operative care.”

He took a medical class in which he learned procedures for administering different types of injections, drawing blood, suturing wounds and taking patients’ vital signs.

“I was able to gain insight into what different fields of medicine look like. And by working with diverse populations, I have gained greater cultural competence and health awareness,” he said.

Outside of his clinical work, Nayagam traveled throughout Peru, discovering various mountain ranges, glacial lakes, villages and cultural sites. He also appreciated the opportunity to “drastically improve” his Spanish-speaking proficiency, an invaluable skill in healthcare.

Trevor Smick '25: Diving and coral reef protection, Koh Tao, Thailand

Hometown: Medford, N.J.
Majors: Economics
Minor: Psychology

Smick saw the Diving and Coral Reef Protection program as an ideal way to integrate his two majors with his passion for the environment and the outdoors.

“I grew up in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey and spent my childhood outdoors, doing everything from fishing to volunteering at a wildlife refuge. I am passionate about preserving the environment so future generations can experience it as I did.”

In Koh Tao, Smick engaged in survey dives, debris removal and coral restoration. He had an opportunity to explore and understand the economic importance of conservation efforts, including the value of coral reefs and their role in tourism, fisheries and shoreline protection.

In addition, his psychology studies “allowed me to comprehend the psychological factors influencing environmental attitudes and behaviors. This is critical to promoting the widespread adoption of conservation efforts.”

Eastwood Yeboah '25: Human rights advocacy, Arusha, Tanzania

Hometown: Germantown, Md.
Majors: Psychology and Africana studies
Minor: Organizing theme in global mental health parity

Working with a Projects Abroad human rights lawyer, Yeboah helped raise awareness about violence against children and other horrific abuses. His day-to-day duties involved speaking to juveniles, young adults and adult women about recognizing and reporting such abuses.

“The work was intense, dealing with very sensitive topics with groups that sometimes were being introduced to them for the first time,” he said.

“I learned a lot about myself, especially as it relates to the types of conversations that I am comfortable engaging in – all with the goal of helping others recognize their potential and see the value of their human rights,” he said.

And while he intends to pursue a master’s degree in global health or global mental health immediately after graduation, his internship experience has fortified Yeboah’s interest in also pursuing a law degree.

“This will help me to better combine my interests in uplifting mental health parity on an international scale for all communities, particularly within marginalized communities that have