Manager at Immigrant Council of Ireland selected as Obama scholar

A manager at the Immigrant Council of Ireland has been selected as an Obama Foundation scholar, the first time a representative from Ireland has been chosen.

Teresa Buczkowska, integration manager at the migrant rights charity, will be part of the fifth cohort of Obama Scholars.

Each year, the Obama Foundation selects between 20 and 30 emerging leaders from around the world to study at either Columbia University or the University of Chicago for the academic year. Ms Buczkowska is one of 12 scholars who will complete a nine-month residency at Columbia University.

In her role as integration manager at the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Ms Buczkowska is focused on building migrant leadership as a long-term strategy for addressing inequality, and strengthening democracy through migrants’ participation in policy decisions that impact their lives.

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Ms Buczkowska said she was “very honoured” to be recognised for her work.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet and learn from the most inspiring activists, academics and leaders for social change in one of the most imagination-stimulating places – New York City,” she said.

“I am looking forward to the next nine months of learning and expanding my knowledge and practice on how to strengthen our democracy by including migrants in decision-making processes.”

Valerie Jarrett, chief executive officer at the Obama Foundation, said the programme provided students with the “unique opportunity” to give and gain insight into the work that fellow young leaders were driving in their communities.

Ms Jarrett added they were “eager” to welcome the new cohort of scholars to the Obama Foundation family.