WELLESLEY, Mass. – Malina Dumas, a 2010 graduate of Wellesley College and the daughter of Roger and Janis Dumas of New Sharon, has won a Fulbright Full Grant to study issues of human trafficking in Moldova.
Dumas, a Russian language and literature major, became interested in the problem of human trafficking last summer as an intern in the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, where she researched human trafficking and the rights of asylum seekers and refugees in Bulgaria.
“The purpose of my research will be to gain a comprehensive understanding of this problem in Moldova by studying the economic and political situation in the country as well as migration patterns and legal issues,” she said.
During her Fulbright year, Dumas will be based in the capital of Chisinau and will travel throughout Moldova, Europe’s poorest nation, to conduct research and raise awareness on the issue of human trafficking and how people can protect themselves. She hopes to also examine how the Internet is used for trafficking purposes.
“My generation is intrinsically connected to the web, and I want to see how teenagers use the Internet in Moldova,” she said. “Many websites for mail-order brides and job-search sites that are based in Eastern Europe are fronts for trafficking organizations, and it is important for the public to be aware of potential dangers.”
This January, Dumas was selected as a fellow for the inaugural year of the Madeleine Korbel Albright Institute for Global Affairs at Wellesley College, which prepares women for positions of global leadership. She was part of a group that presented its findings about maternal health to Albright. She will complete an internship this summer in Vladimir, Russia, funded by the institute.
Dumas has studied abroad in St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia, and in Freiburg, Germany. While at Wellesley, she was a deejay and business manager for WZLY, the Wellesley College radio station and played violin for the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra and the Chamber Music Society. She also volunteered for Wellesley Words on Wheels and the Let’s Get Ready SAT prep program.
Following her Fulbright year, Dumas plans to obtain a master’s degree in Russian and East European studies and hopes to work for the U.S. Department of State as a foreign service officer.
The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, gives students, scholars and professionals the opportunity to do international research, study or teaching.
Dumas graduated from Wellesley College on May 28.
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