"My time as a PICS student has been a period of endless discovery, so much so that it is difficult to choose just one memory. Professionally, I would say it was meeting the Chairperson of the United Nations Committee Against Torture while I was studying abroad in Geneva, Switzerland. I was working on an independent project on the nature of human rights obligations for non-state actors. Being able to interview one of the world’s foremost human rights experts just outside the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was very special. It was through my PICS coursework that I developed a strong interest in studying international human rights, and I feel so lucky that PICS provided me with this wonderful opportunity to learn from those on the frontlines.

My experience in Switzerland only solidified my interest to pursue a career in human rights. When I came back to Michigan, I interned at Perseus Strategies as one of the 2022 PICS/DHRC International Human Rights Fellows. I hope to leverage these experiences as I pursue career opportunities in human rights and explore graduate programs.”

Name:  Emmanuel Orozco Castellanos

Majors/Minors: BA International Studies (International Security, Norms and Cooperation); minor, Critical Translation Studies; minor, Latin American and Caribbean Studies ‘22

Hometown: Capilla de Guadalupe, Jalisco, Mexico

Affiliations: Immigrant Justice Lab; Michigan Journal of International Affairs; Global Scholars Program

Future Plans: “I'm currently working part-time as a Program Assistant for the U-M Department of Comparative Literature, where I am contributing to a project that showcases multilingualism and translation in Michigan and beyond. In addition, I'm a translator for the Immigrant Justice Lab, at the Law School. I'm planning on pursuing a career in international human rights, working for a non-profit, a law firm, or at an international organization.” 

Fondest memory of his experience in PICS: “I would definitely say that during my time abroad studying in Switzerland, which PICS helped me fund, my host mom threw a "goodbye" party and made paella. We danced to songs in all conceivable languages, and celebrated so many cultures and traditions. It was a moment of pure joy! It was also during my time abroad that I visited the UN Human Rights Council, whose stunning ceiling has stuck with me to this date.” 

Is there anything you would like to express to your peers, parents, professors, or others?:  “Thanks to my professors and mentors who nourished my curiosity, to my friends in the Global Scholars Program who made U-M feel like home, and to my family for teaching me the value of pursuing an education, even when they were not able to pursue it themselves.”