Zoe Smolen

Zoe is an undergraduate student in her final year of International Studies at Portland State University. Her regional focus is on Europe, and she has taken many classes focusing on community development and understanding the world from an international perspective. Zoe is also an active member in the National Association for College and University Residence Halls (NACURH Inc.). She serves as a director to the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) chapter at her university, and she also sits on her regional board as well as the international board as a finance officer. This summer she will be embarking on her first international trip to Europe where she will be studying food sustainability. As an ISC intern her research will focus on Women’s education issues, Human rights in Eastern Europe and Sustainable international development.

Most commented posts

  1. How Technology Can Help Girls — 1 comment
  2. Literacy in Bangladesh — 1 comment

Author's posts

Sep 24

Literacy in Bangladesh

Sunday (September Eight) was first International Literacy day. Twitter was alight with quotes about the power of reading, infographics, and uplifting stories, and it really got me thinking and wanting to learn more about literacy rates around the world. In honor of International Literacy Day the United Nation Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published …

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Aug 23

How Technology Can Help Girls

“The birth and rise of new media is, however, changing the story for many girls in Africa who have been given an opportunity to compete with their male counterparts. “- MAUREEN AGENA, I’m sure it would come to no surprise to any of you if I told you that technology was one of the quickest …

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Jul 29

Transition Towns

I spent the last month studying abroad, I have realized how differently Western Cultures actually think from each other. I’ve spent the last month traveling around Denmark and England, and have really come to realize how different the countries are from the United States. My class in Denmark focused on sustainable food efforts. This means …

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Jul 01

Focusing on the bigger picture to further girls education

“They take it for granted that if you work for an NGO you are funded by the west, that you are trying to change local traditions and customs, you are doing something that is secular. They no longer expect to get any public support, so no effort is being made to win hearts and minds. …

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Jun 11

Ending Child Brides

There are many things that are stopping girls from being able to get an education, from lack of infrastructure to natural disasters. However, there is one large, looming obstacle that is keeping many girls from schools; child brides. It is estimated that in the next decade 14.2 million girls will be married before their 18th …

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Jun 04

Why Education for Girls is a Worthwhile Investment

“First, I think girls’ education may be the single most cost-effective kind of aid work. It’s cheap, it opens minds, it gives girls new career opportunities and ways to generate cash, it leads them to have fewer children and invest more in those children, and it tends to bring women from the shadows into the …

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