CHCI-Walmart Intern
Hometown: Coral Springs, Florida
School: University of Pennsylvania
Major: Psychology
Placement: The Office of Rep. Joe Capuano
Oliver Riquelme is a first-generation Paraguayan-American college student at The University of Pennsylvania. He was born and raised in New York City before his family relocated to South Florida. His unrelenting passion for empowering underprivileged minority children developed from his own experience, witnessing first-hand education inequality and lack of resources in his community.
While studying psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, Oliver volunteered his time at Penn Reading Initiative, an interactive student-run program that places tutors in poverty-stricken K-8 schools in West Philadelphia. He was a Peer Mentor at PennFirst, a community support organization for first-generation, low-income college students. After a successful clinical externship at the esteemed Child Study Center at NYU Langone Medical Center, Oliver was offered and accepted a research position at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics department, where he facilitated free psychological services to low-income Latino and African-American children and their families.
Upon completing his undergraduate degree, Oliver plans to obtain his master’s in international relations or public policy. His ultimate career goal is to work for an NGO or IGO focused on human rights and migration of individuals displaced by war.
As a CHCI Intern, Oliver hopes to strengthen his knowledge of the legislative process, public policy, and international geo-politics while developing as a steadfast leader. He hopes to use this experience as a platform to continue advocating for pertinent issues in his community.