1. [HENRY LEACH ’28 MEMORIAL FUND PUBLIC POLICY INTERN PROFILE]
Morgan Blackburn '13 graduated from Bishop
McGuinness Catholic High School in Oklahoma City, OK in
2009. While attending BMCHS, she was President of the
National Honor Society, Vice President of the National
French Honor Society, a member of the Young Politicians
Club, and a Gold Award Recipient for Girl Scout Troop
196. She quickly became involved with Native Americans
at Dartmouth College and the Native Women’s Group. As
time progressed, she became the Director of PR for the
Dickey group Middle East Forum. After pledging Kappa
Delta Sorority, she has served as VP-Operations, Summer
President, and is currently VP-Membership. She interned with ACLU-OK during her off-term and
aided in multiple campaigns with Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma and CAIR-OK to
protect basic civil liberties of all Oklahomans. After graduation, she plans on going into law,
focusing on human rights and civil liberties.
Morgan was funded by the Rockefeller Center for a summer 2012 Internship, with generous
support from the Henry Leach ’28 Memorial Fund.
Executive Summary from Morgan’s final report:
The American Civil Liberties Union is focused on educating and protecting civil liberties and
human rights within the United States. The organization uses various forms of outreach and
development to promote membership, legal action, and
“This internship surpassed all
advocacy in order to ensure these liberties for all. At this
expectations I had and taught me office in particular, the organization focuses on the national
so many great things about my level and higher legal battles in immigration reform,
future that I completely unsure women’s right projects, reproductive freedom, LGBT rights,
about prior to this experience.”
speech, privacy, and technology, and national security.
My main task during my internship was to perform research and editing for various projects
within the Center for Democracy. I worked on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) cases, as well
as cell phone tracking cases, racial mapping, and cases involving CIA that I am unable to go into

2. further detail about. I performed extensive research and logging of government documents
acquired by the ACLU, as well as various research tasks via Internet or law journals. I also began
working on rewrites of information for the Speech, Privacy, and Technology section of the
national website.
I am very fortunate to have had this experience because it has aided me in my post-graduate
plans. I truly love the work that this organization, and others like it, does. I was able to do
extensive research on sensitive topics that may not always be popular with the American public
and understand why it is important that I continue my work. During my internship experience, I
had many great experiences that made the overall experience so enjoyable. The first
experience that really made me excited to work with the staff of this organization was when
our organization, including the interns, got to be in the Pride 2012 Parade in the middle of New
York City. It put a face on the work we were doing. Sometimes, certain types of research can
get dull or seem never-ending, but being able to see the people that our work was helping and
changing the lives of really allowed me to see that the work that I am doing is part of a bigger
picture. This experience has definitely solidified my goal of working in the non-profit sector
after graduation, particularly in an organization that focuses on civil liberties and/or human
rights within the United States.
Overall, I am tremendously grateful for this opportunity. This internship surpassed all
expectations I had and taught me so many great things about my future that I completely
unsure about prior to this experience. It really reinforced the idea of what type of career I want
to have after graduation. I want to work for a place that has a goal to better this country. I want
to be proud of the work that I am doing and feel like even the small research tasks the interns
are doing are important to make the change that we are striving for. I would not have traded
this experience for anything.
Morgan Blackburn ‘13 (right) marches to promote LGBT rights during Pride 2012 Parade in New York, NY.