National Leadership Program, Summer 2019
Elizabeth Batwinis was a Nonprofit Management Fellow in RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program for Summer 2019. RespectAbility is a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities for and with people with disabilities. As of 2019, Batwinis was a rising senior at Virginia Tech where she was working toward a dual degree in psychology and human development and a minor in integrative health and wellness.
She joined RespectAbility to help end the stigma surrounding physical and developmental disabilities and mental health and to gain experience in the field. Her mother and sister are both special education teachers, which jump-started her interest in working with and supporting those with disabilities. Through this Fellowship, Batwinis hoped to learn more about RespectAbility’s inclusive philanthropy and the fight against stigmas.
Before working with RespectAbility, she spent the previous summer interning with Voices for Children Montgomery, the Court Appointed Special Advocates program in Montgomery County, Maryland which represents abused and neglected children. In high school, Batwinis was a student aid in the physical education class for the special education students, where she assisted and participated in the activities with the students. This experience helped introduce her to working and interacting with her peers from different backgrounds and spawned her drive to help others succeed.
In her free time, Batwinis enjoys teaching cycle classes, cheering on the Washington Nationals and searching for the best ice cream out there. On campus at Virginia Tech Batwinis is an active member of both her sorority and the Student Alumni Associates.
Batwinis wrote one piece during the 2019 Summer Fellowship and contributed to a Maryland press release. Read them on our website:
- Ollie Cantos Calls for Ripple Effect of Change by Building Alliances (September 7, 2019)
- Uniting Together to Advance Disability Rights (September 17, 2019)