by Thomas Ashe | Feb 6, 2017 | Graduate Students, Internship Experiences
My name is Kevin Princic. I worked as an intern at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York City. At Seton Hall University I am a second year graduate student pursuing a Master of Arts Degree in Diplomacy and International Relations with specializations in Foreign Policy Analysis as well as Global Negotiation and Conflict Management.
When applying to attend Seton Hall University’s School of Diplomacy and International Relations, I decided that one of the main goals of my graduate studies would be to branch out in my region of interest, Asia. I have studied Japan and China quite extensively; however, my knowledge of the rest of Asia was quite limited in comparison. With this goal in mind, I began my studies at Seton Hall but little did I know that my ambitions would lead me to an internship of a lifetime. At the School of Diplomacy and International Relations’ orientation, I first heard about the Asia Society from a colleague. She raved about her experience and encouraged me to apply for a position. This summer I took the plunge and applied to the Policy Institute and was so fortunate to receive an internship offer for the fall semester.
My work at the Asia Society Policy Institute has been instrumental in achieving my goal of becoming a well-rounded Asia scholar. One of the core responsibilities for interns with the Policy Institute is to conduct a press scan every day. Every Monday I began my day with a cup of coffee and several dozen news stories spanning all across Asia. It was duty to isolate the relevant stories, summarize them, and compile a list separated by sub-region. The final press scan usually contained around thirty different news articles. This task alone was instrumental in achieving my goal. Although I only completed the press scan on Mondays, I received it every day of the week from the other interns as well. This is just one of many instances in which the Asia Society is a full immersion learning experience.
I found that on more than one occasion that my work in the classroom at Seton Hall relates directly to my work at the Asia Society Policy Institute. For example, I was tasked with preparing a brief on North Korea’s nuclear programs and finding any related data. From my personal research I knew that this type of information was scarce due to North Korea’s isolationist nature. However, my relentless search proved fruitful for both myself and the Asia Society. The data I found helped me make progress on formulating my research design which will eventually become my Master’s Research Project and allowed me to provide a thorough brief to the Policy Institute. This is just one of many instances in which my work at the Asia Society and at Seton Hall intermingled.
The Asia Society Policy Institute is a think/do tank which makes it a little different from the typical think tank. My favorite aspect of the Policy Institute is its hands on approach to policy challenges in Asia. The Asia Society is also well known for its programming, bringing in prominent guests to speak on their research or practice. I was lucky enough to be working at the Asia Society as it held its United Nations General Assembly event series. During this series I assisted with events on topics ranging from North Korea’s nuclear program featuring both scholars and policy practitioners, to a dialogue on the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) 50th anniversary featuring delegates from several ASEAN states. The Asia Society even hosted the leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, who spoke on her efforts to democratize the country and reopen it to the world. Learning from these influential people through these events has been a truly unique and enlightening experience.
My experience at the Asia Society made me feel as though I am a part of something bigger that is having an impact in not only the United States, but also in Asia and even throughout the entire world.
by Thomas Ashe | Feb 6, 2017 | Internship Experiences, Undergraduate Students
My name is Courtney Boland. My experience living and working in Washington D.C. was an eye-opening experience. At the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), I participated in projects that extended throughout the world, all with the overarching goal of ending extreme poverty and promoting resilient societies. In the Bureau of Legislative and Public Affairs, I worked with several different departments and witnessed the wide range of agency operations.
Right from the beginning, I dove right in to support the agency’s work at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). I worked previously at the UNGA during my time as an intern at the British Consulate General in New York City so I was able to smoothly transition into my new role. Furthermore, when Hurricane Matthews devastated the Caribbean, specifically Haiti, I had the opportunity to see how USAID responded to natural disasters and humanitarian crises. This was a particularly enormous task for the Public Affairs team. All the staff members, including myself, had to ensure accurate information was disseminated out to the public and to USAID’s mission in Haiti as quickly as possible. I gained first-hand experience in the preparation and “war-room “style of operations for disasters.
While all the work I contributed to at USAID has been exciting, the most rewarding was working for First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let Girls Learn initiative. I always admired her global campaign to bring education to 62 million girls who are currently not enrolled in school. The experience to support that mission was certainly very surreal. I tailored my academic studies to gender equality and the importance of female education, which served as key issues of interest for USAID. I assisted in strategic communications for the premiere of The First Lady’s CNN documentary “We Will Rise,” which focused on her trip to Liberia and Morocco where she met with Let Girls Learn beneficiaries. I also visited the White House with my supervisor to meet with our FLOTUS Office counterparts and was even given the opportunity to have a tour of the White House — a D.C. dream come true.
Working for the U.S. government provided me with the opportunity to learn more about the inner-operations of the federal government. Additionally, I witnessed how government agencies prepare for transition from one administration to another. I did not realize how intensive it is and how many people actually leave the agency once President Obama’s administration comes to an end. This is important for me to experience especially if I plan to work in the U.S. government again one day. This experience made it ever more clear to me that I want to continue to work in Washington D.C. following graduation in May.
by Thomas Ashe | Feb 6, 2017 | Internship Experiences, Undergraduate Students
My name is Andrew Cameron and I am a senior Diplomacy and International Relations major. This past fall I interned at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York City. My work at the CFR was a very educational experience that provided me with some amazing opportunities. The second week into my internship notably coincided with the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meetings! This was one of the busiest weeks for the Council due to the large number of heads of state, scholars, and diplomats who travel into the city.
At CFR, I worked in the Corporate Department. Notably, CFR is far more than an organization that publishes Foreign Affairs magazine. With an elite corporate member base, my department regularly conducts events of varying sizes. Events range from conference calls where experts and senior executives weigh in from their offices worldwide, to large speaker seminars held at our Washington D.C. or New York office. The corporate department’s main function is to serve our members and educate them on international events. Proposed legislation, armed conflicts, and many other topics can be very pertinent to decisions companies make as they engage in global trade and commerce.
My position essentially comprised of two main job functions. The first area was logistics and event staffing. I had the opportunity to staff some very exciting events that included speakers such as then-Vice President Joe Biden to New Zealand Prime Minister John Key. For the most part I worked check in at the events, and I was then able to sit in on the meetings and work microphones during question and answer sessions. Given exposure to these very influential figures and having heard their ideas provided me with several exciting opportunities. To me this has definitely been the highlight of my position. Just as exciting was experience firsthand how the topics I have researched in my academic classes actually are discussed by high level executives and civil servants. For example, the New Zealand Prime Minister spoke to CFR about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement I wrote numerous papers on and discussed in many classes. Seeing how relevant my education is, and having the background knowledge to understand and analyze the statements made during these sessions is an extremely interesting and rewarding experience.
I definitely enjoyed my time at the Council on Foreign Relations. Getting a taste of the real world was an exciting adventure.
