Dickinson College Student Deepens Understanding of Global Issues Through U.N. Internship
Mariam Kapanadze '19, United Nations Headquarters (New York City)
Majors:
International business & management, psychology.
Internship title:
Advisor intern.
What I do, day to day:
At the beginning of my internship, I assisted the permanent representative of Georgia to the United Nations in preparing for the general assembly that adopted the resolution initiated by Georgia on the "Status of Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia." My responsibilities change on a daily basis, and it usually depends on what is going on at the U.N. Because of my personal interests, I am usually assigned to the events that are held by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and cover the topics such as narcotic drugs, science and technology development, and sustainable development. There are two specific tasks I am working on at this moment. I am participating in a capacity building course—children and mobile technology, which looks at online child protection and government interventions. The second one is the high-level political forum on sustainable development convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, which follows up and reviews the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals
Other internships:
I spent last summer with SLV Global in Sri Lanka working as a mental-health activity support worker in a psychiatric facility as well as in various settings for individuals living with mental-health concerns. In addition to these responsibilities, I also worked with at-risk children, taught English to youths and ran therapeutic sessions in a variety of facilities for individuals with specific needs. I was living with a local family during my time away and fully immersed myself in the vibrant, exciting culture of Sri Lanka.
Most valuable part of this experience:
The most valuable part of the internship is the amount of resources that are available to me. Every day I have amazing opportunities to network, connect and get more information directly from the employees of the organization who come from different parts of the world and from different career fields. I feel lucky to be surrounded by people who care about global issues and take action.
Advice for students considering internships:
Even if the internship is not necessarily in the field you are most interested in, it is still worth doing. Being in a new setting and doing something you have never done before can definitely add to your skill set and can boost your self-confidence.
How this internship has helped me:
I think senior year is extremely stressful, especially the job search process. Interacting with high-profile professionals during my internship will help me expand my social skills, which are essential for effective networking and will make my senior year less nerve-racking.
Post-Dickinson plans:
I intend to get a job in the management consulting industry in NYC and gain work experience before applying for an MBA. To celebrate my graduation, I am planning to climb Japan’s Mt. Fuji and bike across Georgia with one of my college friends.
Kapanadze's internship experience is supported by a Dickinson internship grant. Learn more about internships at Dickinson.
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Published July 31, 2018