HPU student helps refugees resettle

Aug. 12--HIGH POINT -- Abby Ray, a High Point native and rising sophomore at High Point University, is helping refugees resettle into a new area through her internship with World Relief Triad this summer.

Ray interns within the organization's Opportunity Services Department. The philosophy major and strategic communication minor's responsibilities include helping refugees find employment after they resettle. She helps them write resumes, apply for jobs, secure transportation and prepares them for interviews. She also helps clients with their reading and computer literacy skills by taking them to the local library.

"My internship with World Relief has taught me the necessary skills in maintaining relationships with clients, managing a nonprofit and how to better serve people and their needs," Ray said. "Helping people is the main thing I want to do in whatever career I choose. HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein has helped me maintain that mindset of treating others with respect."

Ray's summer project with the internship also includes researching and constructing a recommendation report. Through that, she is surveying clients and researching services offered at other resettlement agencies. It is her goal to provide solutions for the World Relief Triad office in improving their clients' rate of receiving professional, career-oriented jobs.

"One of my favorite ways in which I've gotten to put my skills learned from classes to use is through conducting this report," Ray said. "This semester I took two influential classes at HPU. The first class was a service learning Honors class taught by Dr. Thomas Dearden, criminal justice instructor, about recidivism and re-entry from the prison system in the Triad. The other class was a professional writing class, taught by Dr. Erin Trauth, assistant professor of English, in which we had to make a recommendation report about an issue on campus. Through each class, I have gained a lot of skills concerning research and writing."

As a student employee in HPU's office of communications, Ray writes news stories, tracks and archives media coverage and proofreads content.

"Every mentor I've had has helped me strategically choose classes and opportunities to expand my ability to research, write and pursue my passions," Ray said. "My job in HPU's office of communications is enhancing my skills in writing and other communication-related work."

Ray says HPU's supportive faculty and staff helped her succeed in her summer roles.

"My success coach, Giselle Mansi, and career adviser, Emily Long, both helped me in choosing philosophy as a major in order to have more elective hours to take classes in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication and nonprofit management classes," Ray said. "Dr. Bill Carpenter, former director of HPU's Honors Program, challenged me to continue in difficult classes and choose a major that would provide classes that teach me practical, professional skills as well as critical thinking. Professor Phil Watson, associate professor of communication, taught me mass communication and discussed my career goals with me."

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