My name is Vanessa Vuji. I am currently a senior at Seton Hall University studying International Relations & Diplomacy and Modern Languages. I am working as an intern reporter for La Voce di New York, an Italian-English UN based journal. My internship has been an incredibly transformative experience – one that has shaped my academic and professional endeavors. Interning for the United Nations has always been a goal of mine, and with this internship, I am not only directly engaging with UN professionals, but I am also shaping my career path by taking on work that aligns with my interests. Being exposed to the world of political journalism has exposed me to an entirely different professional career path that I may consider in the future.
My interests in conflict resolution and international politics, coupled with my passion for journalism, prompted me to pursue an internship experience that combined all my academic interests. With the Journal, I am primarily tasked with attending press briefings and Security Council meetings. The notes that I take at these meetings allow me to write my articles, which I usually write in Italian, although I am also tasked with writing in English. These articles center on important issues taking place around the world, whether it be climate change, immigration, public health, domestic politics, or international conflict.
This internship gives me the ability to inform people on global events – events that often do not get enough coverage. For instance, one topic that I was able to research focused on the rejection of Syrian refugees from Greece. I am able to learn about international politics as well as the inner workings of the United Nations.
The research and writing that I conduct at my internship host site are skills that I learned through my coursework at Seton Hall. The skills that I learned from writing research papers and essays are directly transferable to my internship. These skills have been greatly improved since I began my internship as I am constantly researching, writing, and translating.
My Italian language skills have also greatly improved. When the internship started, I found it difficult to write articles in Italian. However, with the help of my supervisor, I strengthened my grammatical skills, particularly, my verb conjugations and translations.
The lessons I learned through this internship are numerous. Students interested in global affairs and political journalism will certainly benefit from interning with La Voce di New York. This internship is a great way to improve your writing, research, and language skills, and provides the opportunity to advocate on important issues taking place across the world.
