Grace Reynders

Grace Reynders is from Oak Park, Illinois and graduated from St. Olaf College with degrees in Political Science and Chinese studies. As a college student, Grace studied Mandarin and spent a semester in Shanghai, China to enhance her language proficiency. She later completed an internship at Peace Corps headquarters, which inspired her to pursue a career in international development and public service.

Prior to graduate study, Grace worked across the public sector, including at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, where she supported humanitarian response for communities in Gaza and the West Bank. In addition, she supported monitoring and evaluation (M&E) processes at Peace Corps headquarters. Grace also served with City Year AmeriCorps as a fourth-grade teaching assistant at a school in Washington, DC.

Since joining the GHD program, Grace has deepened her understanding of international development, with a focus on humanitarian assistance and social innovation in Asia and the Pacific. Most recently, she was an intern at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Philippines Country Office.

In her free time, Grace enjoys long-distance running, listening to podcasts, and going on walks with her Golden Retriever, Chance.

Summer internship

This summer, I supported the Programme Support Unit at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Philippines Country Office in Manila. As an intern, I led the initial planning for a project that promoted digitalization in the Philippines by conducting desk research, collecting input from internal stakeholders, and drafting a concept note. Additionally, I identified gaps in the Complaints and Feedback Mechanism (CFM), an internal accountability and crisis management tool. I also proposed and implemented several recommendations, including developing new training and communications materials to help staff facilitate CFM protocols. Moreover, I researched and drafted several concept notes outlining the mission’s work in climate mobility, social protection, and peace-building to support future project proposals. Overall, my time at IOM Philippines allowed me to strengthen my research and writing skills. The internship also reaffirmed my strong interest in development and humanitarian assistance in Asia and the Pacific.