Political science and religious studies major encourages interfaith peacebuilding at the Woolf Institute during APEX Fellowship

Alaina Cline ’25, a political science and religious studies major at The College of Wooster, completed an APEX Fellowship over the summer with the Woolf Institute at Cambridge University. The Woolf Institute seeks to improve the relationship between society and religion through education, engaging in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in interfaith peacebuilding. As an intern, Cline assisted the organization with education, event management, public engagement, and research. Cline’s experience at the Woolf Institute broadened her ideas of what graduate programs and career paths lie ahead.  

“My experience at the Woolf Institute expanded my ideas of future academic and career paths given my areas of interest.”

—Alaina Cline ’25

Q: How did you learn about the internship opportunity for your APEX Fellowship?    

Cline: I sought an internship opportunity that allowed me to work at an organization focused on interfaith peacebuilding. I was attracted to the Woolf Institute due to its dedication to research, education, and community programming. I wanted to experience a nonprofit environment that was intertwined with the educational sector at Cambridge University but was also an interfaith leader at the national and community level. 

Q: What interests you most about the work you did?   

Cline: At the Woolf Institute, I had the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of projects. I spearheaded the creation of an alumni outreach plan to connect with alumni and give them the opportunity to contribute to the future of the Woolf Institute. I researched, wrote, and designed a Friday night Shabbat dinner menu for the summer school program. My internship program allowed me to participate in interfaith learning events, including the Muslim World League Encounter Workshop and the Woolf’s undergraduate summer school program, Religion and Society from the Medieval to the Modern. I was excited by the research aspects of my internship experience. I was also fascinated by the logistics of planning productive, dialogue-based interfaith events.  

Q: Who was your fellowship mentor and how did they help you to succeed in this position?   

Cline: My fellowship mentor was Cody Leary, associate professor of physics at the College. His feedback and guidance helped me think more deeply about the work I was doing. His mentorship helped me to consider the big picture of how my internship connected to my Wooster education and my academic and professional path post-graduation.  

Q: What are some skills you’ve learned that you see yourself carrying forward in your career?   

Cline: I gained numerous skills in this internship including experience designing programs, pamphlets, and graphics as well as developing my research skills. I had a valuable opportunity to lead the creation of a long-term alumni outreach program as well. This internship gave me experience working in an office space, which taught me how to navigate the social environment of the workplace and conduct myself in a professional environment. At its core, interfaith requires challenging and uncomfortable conversations about deeply personal topics. My experience at the Woolf Institute taught me to navigate dialogues with people of various religious, national, and ethnic backgrounds respectfully and productively. 

Q: How has the internship helped you to see what’s next for you?    

Cline: My experience at the Woolf Institute expanded my ideas of future academic and career paths given my areas of interest. I had the opportunity to network with many professionals in my field, attend events hosted by the Woolf Institute, and meet professionals and students in Cambridge, England. My goal is to receive further education and research peace and conflict studies from the lens of religion and politics. I am considering what types of careers could allow me to facilitate meaningful dialogue, while also allowing me to explore the questions that I am interested in. 

Posted in Experiential Learning, Showcase Stories 2024 on August 10, 2024.