Justine is recognized by her professors as “inquisitive, insightful, and hardworking” with a “bright future in public service.”

Justine D’Souza is pursuing master’s degrees in social work and public policy at the University of Michigan. Justine has long been committed both to helping individuals with sensitivity and care and to ensuring that systems—specifically international policies and programs—are effective and promote social justice. She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in French from Rutgers University, where she defended a French language thesis on child labor, and then moved to France to teach in a Priority Education Zone. Along with her volunteer work, the experience challenged her to adapt to the culture while approaching different types of people and their issues with sensitivity and empathy.

Justine went on to spend several years working with World Education Services, a not-for-profit organization that provides credential evaluations for overseas students and prospective immigrants seeking opportunities in the United States and Canada. There, she learned about the education systems of many different countries to keep up with the growing demand for immigration and responded to frequent customer questions from all around the world. She has also served as an intern with the Government Accountability Office in DC and gained extensive experience performing with community theaters, opera companies, and choruses and volunteering on behalf of domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, individuals facing poverty and homelessness, and immigrants and refugees seeking to enter the American workforce. Most recently, she interned for the organization VIDYA in India and piloted a Community Transformation project.

At U-M, Justine is recognized by her professors as “inquisitive, insightful, and hardworking” with a “bright future in public service.” Following her graduation, Justine hopes to analyze international policies and programs to assess whether they are effective, promote social justice, and include populations historically excluded from pivotal reforms and legislation.

CEW+ commends Justine’s commitment to making meaningful change through both systemic and interpersonal work and names her the Margaret Dusseau Brevoot Scholar.