Reflecting on the Experience ..."The biggest benefit is that you are able to bring increased knowledge or skills back into your organization and it is an energizing and refreshing experience."
- Robin Dunn Marcos
|
“The biggest impact the Piper Fellows grant has had on my organization is building bridges in the mainstream community. I have connected with peers in other nonprofit organizations. This connection has not only helped the larger community understand refugees and refugee issues, but it has also helped me learn about additional funding sources, resources and services available for refugees in our community that we had not previously known.”
- Robin Dunn Marcos, Regional Director, International Rescue Committee
Fellow Biography
Robin Dunn Marcos provided refugee relief and resettlement services for more than nine years in Africa during the late 1980s and early 1990s and has been the regional director for International Rescue Committee's Arizona office since 1996. IRC is the largest resettlement agency in Arizona and has helped resettle more that 6,800 refugees in Maricopa County. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations from Eckerd College and a Master of Arts degree in intercultural administration from the School for International Training in Vermont.
Field Notes
"In order to become a better advocate for refugees and help educate the community about forced migration, I attended Oxford University’s Summer School in Forced Migration with 50 participants from around the world. Following the completion of the 15-day course, I took time for reflection and journaling. When I returned to Phoenix, I met with a local consultant who provided individual and group coaching in communication and presentation skills.
"This experience will help me fulfill IRC’s mission because I have a better understanding of the legal framework of forced migration and more knowledge of the global response and the historical context. With this increased knowledge and understanding coupled with better communication and presentation skills, I can better educate our staff and my colleagues in refugee resettlement. Most importantly, I am a better advocate for refugees because of this experience.
"In addition to my fellowship, IRC staff members participated in both group training and individual professional development opportunities."
Contact Information
Robin Dunn Marcos
Regional Director
International Rescue Committee
602.433.2440
robindm@theirc.org
www.theirc.org