EUC Graduate Research Associate Recognized with Awards for Leadership and Volunteer Service

The European Union Center would like to congratulate EUC Graduate Research Associate Alexandra van Doren for being named as the winner of the 2017 Graduate Student Leadership Award and for being recognized as the 2017 Graduate Student Volunteer of the Year.

The Graduate Student Leadership Award is presented by the University of Illinois Graduate College.  It is used to recognize the work and service of graduate students, especially leadership towards projects that have a positive impact at the University of Illinois and the Urbana-Champaign community.   The Office of Volunteer Programs presents various awards in recognition of individual and group volunteer efforts in the community.  

Alexandra is a Ph.D. candidate in Comparative and World literatures.  Her research is focused on genocide and human rights, particularly the Holocaust.  She serves as a Graduate Research Associate at the EUC and has the responsibility of Associate Editor for the EUC Paper Series.

Alexandra has been recognized for her work towards creating a refugee welcome center.  Influenced by the Syrian refugee crisis of 2015, Alexandra founded the non-profit Three Spinners in January 2016.   This organization serves refugees in the Urbana-Champaign community by providing access to resources they need to start new lives here.  The organization is currently in the process of working towards establishing a Refugee Resettlement Program with other community organizations in Urbana-Champaign.

The EUC would like to congratulate Alexandra for her hard work and would like to extend best wishes to Three Spinners as the organization continues to make progress!