Meet one of VFA's New Policy Interns, Reagan Henry

Hello, my name is Reagan Henry and I am one of the new Policy Interns at Voice For Adoption. I grew up in Rochester, Michigan and I am now entering my senior year at Michigan State University, graduating a semester early in December of 2019. I will be earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-Law. My advisor at Michigan State connected me with the opportunity to become an intern at Voice For Adoption, while continuing my studies in Washington D.C. 

The summer after my sophomore year of college, I moved to a small remote Greek Island, Lesvos, where I interned in a refugee camp. Part of my experience entailed working with unaccompanied minors. These children either lost their families and are seeking asylum alone, or have been sent over by their families in hopes of bettering their futures and finding safety. These children have seen unimaginable trauma in their home countries, including losing their family members, homes, and hope. Through this experience working with vulnerable, unaccompanied children, I have found a passion for child welfare. I was immediately intrigued to connect and intern with Voice For Adoption when the opportunity was presented to me. I have had experience with hands-on, face-to-face experience, in regards to assisting children who have faced trauma in losing their family, and I am now hoping to gain experience on the advocacy and political side of child welfare and the foster care system. Through this internship with Voice For Adoption, I hope to gain the skills necessary to influence change, build connections with those able to influence policy, and help better the futures of children in the foster care system. 

Upon graduation and completing my internship with Voice For Adoption, I have hopes to move to Washington D.C. and continue building a career in politics, advocacy, or related areas. I have a particular interest in international affairs and human rights. Being the most powerful and influential city in the United States and the world, Washington D.C. is the ideal place to jump start these aspirations. I am enthusiastic to help maintain VFA’s strong reputation on Capitol Hill, and I am excited to begin working on various projects with this team.