LMU Senior Julia Fauzia Receives Fitzgerald Summer Grant

Julia Fauzia, a senior at LMU, will spend her summer helping immigrants and refugees legally resettle in the U.S. and negotiate their path toward naturalization with the International Rescue Committee in Los Angeles. In March she was awarded a William Fitzgerald Summer Grant, funded by Professor Emeritus William Fitzgerald to support student internships and volunteer opportunities.

“Fauzia is a dynamic and engaged young person imbued with a deep concern for others,” said Jodi Finkel, political science professor. “She is extremely involved in social justice endeavors, both on and off campus.”

Fauzia served as a communications intern at the IRC during the spring semester. In her new role as an immigrations legal intern, Fauzia will serve as a liaison between immigrant families and the U.S. legal system. One of her duties will be to help conduct citizenship workshops. She has already helped two families fill out their N-400 naturalization papers.

The IRC serves refugees and communities that have experienced oppression and violent conflict by providing resettlement assistance and emergency relief and by advocating for human rights.

Fauzia became interested in the IRC after learning of the organization’s response to the recent natural tragedies in the Pacific Rim and how it is continuing to provide services for those affected by the devastation. Working for the IRC, she said, will help her focus her interests on policy work affecting displaced persons internationally.

“It’s very humbling to see people become U.S. citizens,” Fauzia said. “They take the process to heart and are extremely grateful for the opportunity.”

After graduation, Fauzia plans to attend law school and pursue a career in human rights law.

“Through my experiences, I learned that social justice doesn’t necessarily mean fighting every good fight,” Fauzia said. “It is about choosing one or two issues that a person is passionate about and working toward changing them.”