This page is no longer being updated and remains online for informational and historical purposes only. The information is accurate as of the last page update.
For questions about page contents, contact the Communications Division.
International Affairs major Raisa Sheynberg ’04 (Pennington, N.J.) is influencing public policy this summer through an internship with The Population Resource Center. Her work is being funded by the Neil Levin ’76 Public Service Endowment, which awards an annual stipend to a Lafayette student serving an internship in public service at the municipal, state, or federal level or in the nonprofit sector.
Based in Washington, D.C., and Princeton, N.J., The Population Resource Center is a nonprofit organization that aims to further the development of public policy by bringing the latest demographic data to policymakers through large symposia, policy briefings, and small-group discussions. The center also organizes educational programs in response to policymakers’ requests for information on issues such as immigration, teen pregnancy, child care, aging, and international population growth.
“I am interested in the development of infrastructure projects that foster cooperation among warring factions and give rise to productive societies,” says Sheynberg.
“I would like to take advantage of the not-for-profit sector and work internationally to develop peaceful resolutions to current conflicts,” she continues. “Governments often pursue policies that are not conducive to lasting peace settlements, so non-governmental organizations have taken the reins in the struggle for peace. I believe these groups hold the key to effective outcomes.”
Sheynberg spent a semester studying peace and conflict resolution in the Washington Semester Program at American University in Washington, D.C. She also conducted research for a number of conservation initiatives, including the Clean Air Fund and the Anti-Sprawl Campaign, during an internship with the Pennsylvania Public Interest Research Group. Another internship with an international non-governmental organization enabled her to research the current nuclear situation in Russia, write letters to U.S. Congress and the Russian legislature, and compile a mailing list for a weekly newsletter on nuclear safety and weapons movement in Russia.
At Lafayette, Sheynberg co-authored a comparative study on Arthur Schnitzler’s novel Traumnovelle and its modern day film adaptation, Eyes Wide Shut, directed by Stanley Kubrick. Under the guidance of Edward McDonald, professor of foreign languages and literatures, she examined the ways in which sexual urges are suppressed. She was among the 23 Lafayette students who gave presentations March 13-15 at the 17th annual National Conference for Undergraduate Research in Salt Lake City, Utah.
A founding member of Lafayette Policy Action Committee, Sheynberg belongs to International Affairs Club, Lafayette Activities Forum, American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, Diversity Recruitment Committee, and Lafayette Environmental Awareness and Protection. She also is an AIDS educator.