Presidential Federal Internship Program

Madina Amiri, Business Administration Major

Madina Amiri is a hardworking and passionate Business Administration major, who faced many challenges but never gave up. Madina was born and raised in Afghanistan, but after the Taliban took over, she had to leave her home. She spent a year in a refugee camp in the United Arab Emirates, where life was difficult, but she found ways to help. She taught basic English to children and even started a small business to support her family and other refugees. At the end of 2022, she moved to Colorado, beginning a new chapter as a first-generation immigrant determined to succeed. Her experience has fueled her passion for education, advocacy, and community building.

Now, Madina holds several roles in her community. She works as an interpreter for Aurora public schools and is a student assistant for the Western Union Scholarship Program and Immigrant Services Program at MSU Denver. With aspiration to establish a charity supporting the education and empowerment of Afghan women and children, she is determined to be a voice for those deprived of education, immigrants, and refugees. Madina’s journey reflects strength, leadership, and a deep commitment to making a difference in both her local community and globally.

Flynn Condit, Political Science Majorr

Flynn Condit is a rising senior majoring in Political Science and minoring in Journalism and Media Production. Born in Los Angeles, growing up in Houston, and now living in Denver, he has learned to adapt to many different cultures. Flynn is inspired by building bridges between people and goes out of his way to think differently. He has conversational ability in French and Russian and has visited 40 countries, pursuing independent photo-documentary projects in over ten. His latest project is focused on class and development in post-Soviet countries. Later this year, he will be attending the Model United Nations of the Far West as a policy council delegate on behalf of MSU Denver.

Flynn’s area of expertise is in communications, marketing, and print/interactive design, recently supporting projects at CU Denver, MSU Denver, Clean Water Action, and the Colorado Department of Transportation. With a passion for public service and making a difference in the world, Flynn aspires to tackle tangible transnational issues such as human rights and poverty for the federal government or an international nongovernmental organization.

Marsus Merino, Social Work Major

Marsus Merino is a first-generation, Latina, Social Work major at MSU Denver with a strong commitment to advocacy, education, and service. Marsus’s passion for social work is deeply rooted in her personal experiences. Growing up in an immigrant family, she witnessed the challenges of navigating systemic barriers, which inspired her dedication to helping marginalized communities. As a Reisher Scholarship recipient, Marsus became active in her community by volunteering in area public schools, fueling her desire to address inequities in education, healthcare, and access to resources, to ensure that all individuals have the tools they need to succeed.

Currently, Marsus serves as a Program Coordinator for TRIO Upward Bound, where she designs and implements academic support programs for first-generation, low-income students. Her role includes collaborating with community organizations, developing data-driven strategies to measure program success, and providing one-on-one support to students navigating the challenges of higher education. Through this work, Marsus has become a trusted mentor and advocate, empowering students to overcome barriers and achieve their full potential. Marsus plans to pursue a master’s in social work to expand her knowledge and advocacy skills to champion policies that promote access to education, healthcare, and safety, creating a more just and equitable society for all.

Lara Widger, Political Science Major

Lara Widger is a proud first-generation student, born and raised in Greeley, Colorado. She moved to Denver in 2023 to attend MSU Denver to pursue a bachelor’s in political science and minor in public administration. During her time at MSU Denver, Lara pursued opportunities that cultivated her skills in leadership and community engagement, such as her role as a student coordinator for the Center for Multicultural Engagement and Inclusion, her time as a Voting Engagement Student Ambassador (VESA) within Undergraduate Studies, and as a second-year officer for the award-winning Mock Trial team. Before attending MSU Denver, Lara’s commitment to civic engagement started in her hometown as an Enumerator for the US Census in 2020, a field organizer in the 2022 Midterms, and she spent two years with the non-profit Meals on Wheels in which home-cooked meals were delivered to disabled and elderly individuals.

Miguel Garcia, Political Science Major

2024 Presidential Federal Internship Service: Office of Senator John Hickenlooper

Miguel Garcia is a first-generation undergraduate student currently pursuing his bachelor’s in political science and a minor in philosophy at MSU Denver. In his first semester at MSU, Miguel has already become a part of the MSU Denver Mock Trial team. Raised in Aurora, CO, Miguel’s upbringing in a culturally diverse environment, marked by a strong sense of community and the presence of immigrant families such as his own, has significantly influenced his academic and professional aspirations. His overarching goal is to embark on a career in Public Service and Law, with a focus on advocating for and safeguarding the rights of immigrants and workers within his community. Miguel also has a passion for protecting the environment and hopes to find legal and legislative mechanisms to do so. Miguel is poised to bring a dedicated and informed perspective to the fields he aspires to contribute to.

Isai Lozano, Social Work Major

2024 Presidential Federal Internship Service: Child Welfare League of America

Isai Lozano resides in Denver Colorado and is a first-generation college student. He struggled transitioning into the rigor college demanded of him but was able to push through by relying on his family and peers to support him. Ever since the Pandemic, Isai has seen the importance in community and community resources, and this has called him to pursue a social work degree in the hopes of one day working in Child welfare.

Isai has been recognized for overcoming hardship and for his academic achievements by being a recipient of the Reisher Scholar Program. This scholarship program has helped provide him with the proper guidance and has allowed him to commit more time to extracurriculars such as being a Residential Assistant on campus to gain first-hand experience and familiarity in cultivating and maintaining a community. Other pursuits such as an internship at the Denver Human Services has shown him the cogs in the machine that is child welfare. Experiencing this first-hand insight and by working under his superiors he has piqued an interest in macro social work. Isai wants more than to just help people, he wants to create meaningful foundations in their lives that will last them a lifetime.

Denny Palacios, Political Science Major

2024 Presidential Federal Internship Service: Office of Senator Michael Bennet

Denny Palacios is a non-traditional student in her third year at MSU Denver. As an immigrant who has called Denver home for the past twelve years, Denny has focused the lens of her studies in policy and history studies on the Mexico-USA drug trade relationship. During her time at MSU, Denny has truly committed to life on campus. Her identities as current co-chair for The Student Advocacy Council (Student Government), the lead Student for Model United Nations, a full-time student, and a part-time job holder grant her an understanding of the particular complexity of being a MSU Denver student.

Her insight as a previous ESL Paraprofessional, merged with her current experience as a First-Generation Political Science student and Political Theory teaching assistant, have revealed the profound impact policy and access to quality education have on individual lives and communities. Denny seeks to pursue a career on educational law or as a professional higher education academic.

Mary Preston, Political Science Major

2024 Presidential Federal Internship Service: Public Religion Research Institute

In moving to Denver from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and pursuing a journey through undergraduate academia at two of three Auraria institutions, Mary has come to appreciate the community that has embraced her. She understands that folks have an obligation to give what they can to the city that gives them what they need, and simultaneously recognizes that there are discrepancies in achieving favorable conditions for all neighbors.

Mary has a vision of achieving justice in our growing city through equitable and sustainable development. She has a vision that everyone will have access to a safe and fair job opportunity, a way to get to that job without dependence upon a personal vehicle, and an affordable house with a fridge full of food to come home to at the end of every shift. Through collaboration among community members and cooperation among community leaders, Denver can become an exemplary city where everyone is housed, moving, and fed.