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Hi – my name is Karen and during the summer of 2019, I spent my time interning at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The Council is an intergovernmental organization with 47 member states, working to promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law within its jurisdiction and beyond. As I am working toward master’s degrees in both Public Administration and International Relations, this presented an opportunity for me to gain insight into both my areas of interest simultaneously. I had my office in the Agora building, which not only gave me great access to my team members and other interns, but also provided for a very interesting work environment overall.

My assignments were focused on various research projects relating to human rights, with the main emphasis being on environmental issues as these impact, and are impacted by, human rights. I also wrote speech drafts, proofread documents to be sent out and published, and took notes at different meetings. The most valuable experience for me during my internship, however, was the opportunity to experience how the organization functions. It was important to my supervisor that I get as much out of my experience as possible, which led to her encouraging me to attend different plenary meetings, sessions, and voting procedures. These areas were not directly relevant to my work per se, so I was not required to take notes and work during that time but was encouraged to just attend and take in the experience. Through these instances I also got the opportunity to network and socialize with relevant actors from my field during breaks and lunches, which gave me much insight into the world of international relations and thus complimented knowledge gained from the classroom.

As an international student, I originally did not intend on going abroad for my internship experience. However, gaining directly relevant experience from various cultures is immensely important, especially in a field as diverse as international relations. Being from Europe originally, but having taken all my higher degrees in the United States, this internship also provided me with an opportunity to develop experience from and connections with the European diplomacy.

My time at the Council of Europe overall stands out to me as one of my most valuable experiences so far. It provided me with opportunities to learn processes, skills, and tools for my future work, in addition to giving me insight into the world of international diplomacy on several levels. Additionally, Strasbourg is a beautiful city, with a vibrant student environment and many opportunities for European travel. I definitely recommend taking advantage of this unique opportunity!

Karen Reitan

Strasbourg Summer Internships 2019

Learn more about Internships in Strasbourg

My name is Levi Heath! I am an MAIR student and during summer 2021, I participated in three courses through the Graduate Institute Geneva. The Graduate Institute offers a series of standalone “modules” each summer, each worth 2 ECTS credits (the equivalent of 1 SU credit). This summer, these were all held online. I attended modules on: Cinema, International Relations and Human Rights’ Advocacy; Humanitarianism: Its History and Politics; and The United Nations in a Changing World. Each module consisted of three days of synchronous lectures and class discussions followed by a short final paper, due a week after the last class period. As an MAIR student, I found each of these courses interesting and relevant to my degree.

The professors leading each module supplemented their own lessons with guest lectures from experts, academics, and practitioners whose work connected to the topics of the class. I had the chance to learn from human rights advocates, leaders of NGOs, and career diplomats. For me, the insights these guest lecturers gave into careers in the field of international relations were among the most valuable parts of the classes.

In addition to the professors and guest lecturers, I was able to learn from my fellow students. The Graduate Institute’s summer programs attract students from academic institutions around the world. Mid-career professionals who are not in school are also able participate in the modules as students. This meant that I had classmates from multiple continents and with diverse academic and professional experiences. This created a rich environment for classroom discussion. My classes ranged from about 20 to 50 students. Particularly in the smaller classes, people were able to share insights drawn from their own experiences and ask questions informed by their unique perspectives.

I was particularly interested in taking summer classes through the Graduate Institute Geneva because of their flexibility. During the summer, I also interned remotely with the Carter Center, based in Atlanta. Since the Graduate Institute offers modules throughout the summer, and since each module is only a few days long, I was able to plan my classes around my internship schedule and vice versa. Although I would have loved to attend the classes in-person in Geneva, having the classes online made it easier to balance my class schedule with my internship schedule.

Summer classes at the Graduate Institute Geneva are ideal for someone interning with an organization in Geneva, but if they continue to be offered online, they also work great for someone working part-time elsewhere. The topics of the modules offered change each year, but they are always interesting and relevant. I would recommend Graduate Institute Geneva classes to anyone interested in a career in international relations. Feel free to reach out to me at leheath@syr.edu if you have any questions!

Levi Heath

MAIR, Maxwell School Graduate student

When studying abroad in Madrid, Spain some of my favorite experiences involved learning about and exploring different cultures within the context of another country. My name is Whitney Welbaum and I am graduating in December 2022. I am majoring in public relations with minors in Spanish and cultural anthropology. I chose to participate in the Madrid Summer Session 2021 to improve my language skills and to learn more about Spanish culture. What I did not expect was to also be able to experience the diversity of different groups of people also living in Madrid from other countries and cultures.

I first learned about the Lavapies neighborhood in my Spanish language and culture class. Lavapies is known as the multicultural neighborhood in Madrid, where you can find people from diverse backgrounds all living in the same area. In my class, we learned about the diversity present in Spain as well as the issues that come up during cross-cultural exchanges. My studies really helped open my eyes to the depth of cultural identities in Spain and how diverse cultures functioned in different contexts. I was also able to explore my own identity as a biracial person, I found it exciting to learn about Chinese communities living in Spain. Exploring my own identity and finding communities that I could directly relate to was a truly enriching and comforting experience.

Some of my favorite memories from my time in Spain are from exploring Lavapies. There were days where I would just wander the streets and alleyways of the neighborhood, stopping by shops that caught my eye. I was able to practice my Spanish with the shop owners while also learning about local artisans. Lavapies was also one of my favorite places to eat lunch or dinner, there was a wide variety of international foods to choose from. I was able to sample Indian, Greek, Japanese, and other international cuisines. I look forward to when I can visit the neighborhood again in the future, it is the type of place that I feel like I can constantly learn more from.

Whitney Welbaum ’22

Syracuse Madrid Summer Session