I found out about the IWP Internship Program during a trip to Washington, D.C. with a group of UNC Chapel Hill students. We took the trip to learn about different opportunities offered to students in the Peace, War & Defense Program. Following the tour, I knew I wanted to apply for the summer internship because of IWP’s faculty, made up of scholar-practitioners, the networking opportunities, and the ability to discover more about the career field I want to enter.
Over the course of the summer, my internship covered elements of academic affairs, events, communications, and operations. This gave me an insight into the world of higher education and ultimately knowledge about what is expected from individuals working in various aspects of government.
As an undergraduate student interested in international affairs and attending law school, I was excited about the opportunity to work on the Human Rights team with Dr. Matthew Daniels. We focused our research on promoting the Human Liberty 2.0 campaign, drawing attention to human rights violations around the world, and using creative digital media to promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Working with Dr. Daniels was enlightening. My work at IWP helped me better understand diplomatic relations and appreciate the freedoms found within the United States.
In addition, I was able to audit two courses over the summer. The first course was Peace, Strategy, and Conflict Resolution with Professor Santoli. I enjoyed this course because it enabled me to develop skills to solve real-world security problems and the opportunity to practice the process of mediation. I also took Intel and Law with Professor Schilling. I particularly enjoyed this course for the foundational and detailed knowledge of the relationship between intelligence and law that it provided.
Working at IWP this summer has been an extraordinary experience. Learning how to present myself in a professional manner has undoubtedly given me an advantage over my peers. I am thankful for my time here at IWP and hope to be back as a student in the future.