Alumna Connects Students to Internship Opportunities
Two sociology majors worked paid summer legal internships at an immigrant rights nonprofit.
Isabella Sansanelli ’21 majored in political science and Hispanic studies at Washington College, majors that prepared her well for her current job as the Pro Bono Coordinator at Ayuda, a pro bono legal organization that leverages the power and resources of volunteer attorneys willing to give their time and counsel to immigrant neighbors in need of services. She was introduced to Ayuda while at Washington College through an internship at Mid-Shore Pro Bono arranged by the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience.
"I am eternally grateful to the Starr Center for connecting me to my first-ever internship in the non-profit immigration space while studying at Washington College," Sansanelli said. “It was through that first internship that I was introduced into the world of immigration legal work and advocacy which has profoundly shaped my career in my post-graduate life.”
After completing a master’s degree in Peacebuilding and Mediation at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in December of 2024, Sansanelli accepted a full-time job at Ayuda. Then this past summer, she was able to pass on the benefits of a valuable internship by supervising and mentoring two Washington College Explore America interns this summer.
Eleanora Cardillo ’27, (Sociology/Hispanic Studies majors) and Ana Arguello ’27 (Sociology/English majors) worked in different departments at Ayuda. Eleanora Cardillo worked directly with Sansanelli as a supervisor to process client calls and attorney’s schedules. She worked on translating documents like passports and IDs, communicating with clients about upcoming clinic information, and helping clients prepare a cover letter for attorney review.
"Working at Ayuda this summer has been an incredibly meaningful experience. Seeing the impactful work done by everyone at Ayuda has strengthened my knowledge and commitment to serving immigrant communities," Cardillo said. “I have been able to do and learn all this under the supervision of a WAC graduate, Isabella Sansanelli, who has done an amazing job getting me involved in the organization.”
Ana Arguello ’27 has always wanted to be an immigration lawyer. She was assigned to a supervisor in the legal department that interfaces with the Department of Justice in Virginia. Arguello worked to support caseloads and translate for clients seeking assistance. Her day-to-day work consisted of reading declarations and documents, sometimes translating them. She was responsible for administrative tasks such as filling out forms and files from USCIS (always with the guidance of a supervisor who is an accredited attorney in the office) with information collected from the clients. She was able to be present for meetings with the attorney and client and create questions, take notes, as well as translate declarations to help start, continue, and strengthen cases.
“Through my coursework in criminology, Latin American politics, and victimology, I have developed a nuanced understanding of how legal institutions impact migrants’ rights, often reinforcing systemic inequalities,” Arguello said. “I learned and gained so much experience working in the legal immigration department in the Virginia office of Ayuda. I was received into such a welcoming and passionate environment where I was encouraged to keep my personal passion in law and justice for people, especially those in need. My experience at Ayuda has been an extremely meaningful extension of my academic work at Washington College and a vital step in my preparation for law school.”
The Explore America summer internship program offers a range of experiences that introduce students to a variety of career paths. These internships and opportunities are forged through professional and alumni connections. The select group of externship supervisors are always impressed with the caliber and skills of the Washington College students awarded these paid summer positions through the Starr Center. The Undergraduate Legal Internship at Ayuda was new this year. Partial funding is provided by the Holstein Program in Ethics and the Starr Center.
Eleanora and Ana will be presenting at The Explore America Showcase on Thursday, September 17 at 5:00 PM in the Egg in Hodson Hall. Please join us on both Wednesday, Sept. 16 and Thursday, Sept. 17 as 25 Explore America summer interns share their paid summer internship experiences at leading cultural institutions, non-profits, and government agencies from New York to West Virginia.
— Christine Sinatra