UMD is excited to introduce our four new International Policy and Diplomacy Fellows for this fall! Riley Crabtree, Alekhya Peddu, Emalyn Scheg, and Maxmillian Wiegel will be working with us at the UMD headquarters in Washington, D.C. through the beginning of December.

Since 2008, UMD has hosted over 130 undergraduate and graduate students interested in Macedonia, Southeast Europe, U.S. foreign policy, human rights, and Trans-Atlantic relations.

“I am extremely excited for our fall fellows. We have four incredibly talented students who are eager to learn about UMD, Macedonia, and our mission. We have a lot of projects going on at the end of this year, so they will be a great help,” explained Ema Brown, UMD Director of Development and Advancement.

“The fall is always a good period for new beginnings and our fellows proved that to be right. Their interest and passion to learn about Macedonia and UMD work are incredible and of great value to our organization” said Gordan Jordanov, UMD Macedonia Director.

Intern responsibilities include monitoring legislation and congressional hearings; acting as a liaison between UMD and Congressional offices, advocating on subjects vital to the diaspora; attending events throughout Washington, D.C.; conducting research on issues affecting Macedonia and Southeast Europe, among other tasks.

Biographies:

Riley Crabtree is from Abington, Pennsylvania, and attends Stockton University with a double major in Political Science and Historical Studies and a minor in Holocaust and Genocide Studies. She plans to graduate in the Fall of 2023. After she graduates, Riley plans to study International Affairs and concentrate on human rights. She is participating in the Academic Internship Program through the Washington Center and taking an academic course called International Organizations and Humanitarian Law. Riley hopes to gain more knowledge about Macedonia and to get a better understanding of non-profit work while interning at UMD.

Alekhya Peddu started as an International Policy and Diplomacy Fellow in August of 2022. As a participant in The Washington Center Program, Alekhya is spending this fall in DC, gaining hands-on experience within the professional realm of advocacy politics. She is currently majoring in International Relations with a minor in Anthropology. After graduating, she plans to volunteer with the Peace Corps and eventually get her Master’s degree in International Relations.

Previously, Alekhya interned with Patrick Brown of the Alliance Party in Northern Ireland where she learned about the British and Irish political cultures and the effects of Brexit on their governments. As a third-year student, she has focused her area of interest on social uprisings and revolts and their connection to human rights issues, specifically women’s rights.

Alekhya’s hobbies include traveling, reading, and exploring different cuisines with her favorites being Thai and Mediterranean. As a first-generation Indian American, she loves to go back to India to visit family and friends!

Emalyn Scheg is an International Studies/Political Science major from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has a passion for advocating for those who do not have a voice which she has applied to her many leadership roles on campus and in her time before college. Emalyn has a love for international politics and hopes to find the intersection between the fields of International Relations and Advocacy in school and beyond. In her free time, Emalyn loves to paint and spend time with her cat, Raven. Her expected graduation is May 2024.

Maxmillian Wiegel is from Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, and is a Junior history major with minors in English and political science at the University of Michigan. Ten years ago, a severe brain injury led Max to research his own family history, which inspired his interest in archival research and historical inquiry. He is a member of UM’s National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS). Max has previously worked as an intern at Fakhoury Global Immigration, as well as at Wallstreet productions. He hopes to eventually become a historian, professor, or museum curator. He is also a writer, self-publishing his first novel, The Worth of a Knight, in 2021. He expects to graduate in 2024.

Learn more about the UMD internship.

Click here to learn about UMD’s new Acevska Congressional Internship Program.