Seeking an internship in international development policy, reproductive rights, gender equality initiatives, public policy, or social justice.

For a copy of Dania’s resume, please email (program@shecan.global).

Dania Verbena is a Guatemalan youth leader and fourth-year student at Rhodes College, where she is double majoring in International Studies and Latin American & Latinx Studies. She is the founder of Girls Also Matter, a grassroots initiative in Esquipulas, Guatemala, that empowers rural girls through leadership, gender equality, menstrual health, and educational opportunities. The initiative has reached more than 300 girls and works to challenge the social expectations that can limit girls’ futures from an early age.

Beyond her work with girls, Dania is passionate about youth civic participation, transparency, and democratic engagement. Through the Youth Observatory of Chiquimula, she has participated in initiatives focused on access to public information and social audits of public funds. In 2026, she attended a Social Auditing and Civic Activism training in Bolivia, strengthening her understanding of how young people can use civic tools to promote accountability in their communities. As a member of Jóvenes por la Transparencia, she has also written articles about transparency, democracy, gender, and youth participation, which have been published in Diario La Hora and Revista Mujer de Negocios.

In 2026, she received the $10,000 Buckman Fellowship to study abroad at Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado (FAAP) in São Paulo, Brazil, where she participated in an international exchange program and expanded her understanding of Latin American societies and regional perspectives. She has also participated in international programs, including the Vital Voices Grassroots Voices Fellowship and the MCW Global Young Leaders Fellowship.

Dania has been recognized for her leadership with the 2024 Young Guatemalan Inspiration Award from the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala and JAXJS, the 2025 RSA of the Year Award, and 2025 Outstanding Intermediate Student in Latin American Studies at Rhodes College. She has been inducted into Sigma Iota Rho, the International Studies Honor Society. She is committed to creating opportunities for young people and bringing local experiences into broader conversations about equality, democracy, and social change.

Dean’s List GPA: 3.76 | Languages Spoken: English, Spanish, Portuguese

Highlights of Dania’s Work Experience

• Mertie Buckman Fellow – Research Intern, Democracia en Red, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Advocacy Coordinator Intern, Departmental Network of Chiquimultecas Women (REDMUCH), Chiquimula, Guatemala
• Rhodes Student Associate (RSA), International Students, Rhodes College
• Access Teacher Assistant & BEAR Assistant Coordinator, English Language Programs Guatemala – U.S. Embassy & Coosajo R.L.

Dean’s List GPA: 3.76
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish, Portuguese