This summer, I am interning through the U.S. Department of State at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York City (USUN-NY). I’m interning in the political section of the Mission, which is responsible for supporting the U.S. Permanent Representative and other ambassadors in advancing U.S. policy at the UN. There are several other interns in my section, and we all work to support the Foreign Service and Civil Service Officers who primarily make up the political section. The work varies from providing escorts for visiting guests to attending meetings to crafting briefing materials, all of which are important in their own way.
Although I cannot give specific details on my work and experiences thus far due to strict security clearance requirements, the work has been insightful and engaging. Even just note taking for a given meeting has its own importance. It’s easy to see the “final products” of U.S. foreign policy, but it’s extremely informative to get a first-hand look at the crafting of said policies. I am proud to work in an office where the work of all individuals is truly vital to the organization’s success, which is something that cannot be said for all workplaces. As such, I am lucky to have the benefit of feeling the immense importance of my work for my organization, but also for the broader global community.
This summer, I set out to tackle a number of goals that will allow me to grow both personally and professionally. Academically, I hope to learn more about how USUN-NY balances the United States’ own interests with the importance of being a global leader. After just a month of work, I’ve already had significant exposure to the important bilateral and multilateral relationships that allow the U.S. to effectively participate in the global community. Career-wise, one major goal of mine is to utilize my experiences to build important personal connections with individuals who work in my field professionally. Additionally, I’ll be using my internship to determine whether a potential career in the State Department is best for me. Personally, I hope to encounter information, individuals, and experiences that challenge my own personal ideas and beliefs. This is one of the only true ways to grow, and I have (and inevitably will) encounter challenges through working for a diverse organization made up of many individuals.
In just one month of work, I feel that I’ve already gained insights into international diplomacy that I can carry with me for the rest of my career – and I look forward to more in the coming weeks.