Candidate Profiles
MAGIS Candidates, 2008 - 2010

Brianna Dwyer-O'Connor

Brianna’s academic research interests center around migration, forced migration, and refugee rights. She is particularly concerned with the rights of women and children and with their access to education, health education, and health care. Brianna is currently in Seyssel, France, interning with Afromedianet, a network of journalists and scholars specializing in human rights, development issues, and humanitarian affairs in Africa. The organization aims to fill the gap created by mainstream media portrayals of African affairs and to create and strengthen networks between journalists, scholars, international non-governmental organizations, and local community groups in and throughout the African continent. As a Project Design and Management Intern, Brianna is conducting research and designing a proposal for a conference for journalists on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

In the fall 2009, Brianna began a year-long study abroad program at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, in their graduate program on Migration and Refugee Studies, through the Education Abroad Program at UCSB. The interdisciplinary program provides a foundation in forced migration and refugee studies, international refugee law and refugee rights with a focus on the Middle East and Africa. While studying at AUC, Brianna will also intern with an organization focused on rights advocacy and legal aid.

Originally from Seattle, Brianna earned her B.A. in Sociology with minors in African Studies and Peace and Justice Studies at the University of San Francisco. Her undergraduate education was complimented by an internship with Global Exchange, an international human rights organization based in San Francisco.