The summer of 2020 brought with it a host of new challenges for everyone. However, I was fortunate enough to be accepted to IWP’s summer internship program before the chaos ensued and never once felt that my position at the Institute would be in jeopardy. IWP proved to me that it is committed to the intellectual growth of its students, faculty, and interns regardless of uncontrollable circumstances.
For obvious reasons, I worked remotely, but that did not stand in the way of my academic growth. Virtual lectures were scheduled every week with IWP faculty. Staff members in the Office of Career Services spent hours on the phone with me to help coordinate and direct my employment search towards a meaningful end. Under the guidance of IWP President John Lenczowski, I was able to produce the same level of quality research on Chinese geopolitical strategy that I would have had I been working onsite.
The Institute’s faculty possesses a wealth of knowledge on topics of the highest significance in the realm of diplomacy, international relations, and history. The depth of analysis and experience displayed by IWP’s faculty is scarcely found elsewhere. The same can be said of the staff’s devotion to students’ individual development. Lastly, it is important to highlight my fellow interns, as they were truly remarkable coworkers. In the last four years, I majored in economics and political science, studied counter-terrorism in Denmark, and conducted research for the U.S. State Department, but I have never worked with other students as passionate, articulate, and dedicated to their studies as those in my internship cohort at IWP.
I would strongly recommend this internship/research assistantship to any undergraduate interested in the real-world application of international relations. IWP seems to be at the center of contemporary diplomatic thought, and an opportunity to work for the Institute yields unmatched personal development.