Claudia Brinks
BA Political Science and International Studies (International Security, Norms, and Cooperation)
Internship with the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
My academic interests focus on the intersection of international law and human rights, specifically within the transitional justice field. I have furthered my interests in these topics through my extracurricular involvement, including my time as a human rights researcher with the Michigan Foreign Policy Council, a member of Sigma Iota Rho, and a Donia Human Rights Fellow.
This summer, I took on the role of a research intern with the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. PCRC is a women-led peacebuilding and research organization dedicated to supporting post-conflict reconciliation efforts throughout the Western Balkans. They prioritize conflict prevention, peace education, human rights, transitional justice, and a future free from conflict. During my internship, I worked on various initiatives that furthered PCRC’s mission while advancing my understanding of human rights and transitional justice within the non-profit sector. Specifically, I worked on social media campaigns promoting PCRC-sponsored events in Sarajevo, including the opening of the Mother’s Scarf art installation and commemoration events marking the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.
Throughout my internship, I also had the opportunity to visit various international organizations and NGOs around Sarajevo, including the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe, the International Commission on Missing Persons, the Office of the High Representative, the Center for Investigative Reporting, the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and many others. These visits allowed me to gain a better understanding of the current political system within the country and how organizations are working to protect human rights within the country. This year also marked the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, where I participated in various commemoration events, including PCRC’s annual Youth School, where youth from around the world came together to learn about the genocide and engage in meaningful dialogue.
My experience abroad has completely transformed my educational experience and the trajectory of my future. Having the opportunity to not only live abroad but also experience what it is like to work in another country has given me the confidence to broaden my horizons with respect to my future career and academic goals. Living in Sarajevo has also given me a new passion for working within the non-profit sector and has motivated me to learn more about Eastern Europe, specifically the Western Balkans, which is often a region overlooked by Western academia and the media. This opportunity has shown me how an organization like PCRC can have a huge impact on local communities to create positive change. Before knowing about this opportunity, I never imagined I would have the opportunity or the means to visit Bosnia, but after concluding this internship, I am so grateful for the time I spent there and the relationships I made along the way.
Something that I did not expect during my time abroad was the culture shock that comes with being in a new country, specifically with the pace of life within Bosnia and Herzegovina. Being at the University of Michigan, I am used to the fast-paced nature of campus life. Living in Sarajevo, where many of the things that we often take for granted in the United States are not available, allowed me to think more critically about how I go about my everyday life. Intentionally living more slowly and taking in the world around me was a lesson I learned very quickly while in Bosnia. The simplest things, like sitting down for a coffee or dinner with friends, became more intentional and a time to truly come together after a long workday. Not having the luxuries that I enjoy within the United States also gave me more confidence, as I had to find new ways to do things in a language I did not understand. Going to the grocery store or navigating public transportation became new challenges that I would not have thought twice about back home. Learning how to problem-solve and figure things out on my own has given me a renewed sense of confidence.
The most valuable part of my experience was the opportunity to visit various international organizations operating within Bosnia and Herzegovina and talk with experts about the current political and social climate in the region. This opportunity provided me with a greater depth to my understanding of the opinions of people living within Bosnia and what measures organizations are taking to better the lives of those living there. On the other hand, it was incredibly valuable to hear some of the shortcomings of these organizations and discuss with locals their opinions on the effectiveness of these organizations. Overall, this extra exposure to life in Bosnia and Herzegovina gave me a new perspective on how international organizations and NGOs operate within a different country and how the international community can better support their missions.
A memory I will never forget was the time I spent in Srebrenica and Potočari during the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide as a participant of the annual Srebrenica Youth School. On July 11, I, alongside my fellow interns and other youth school members, spent the day at the Srebrenica Memorial Center alongside thousands of others who came to remember and pay their respects to the victims of the 1995 genocide. This was also the time that they would be lying to rest victims of the genocide whose remains had been found in recent years and whose families had decided to bury them at this year’s anniversary. This experience allowed me to witness the pain that many people continue to endure, even 30 years after the genocide occurred. It was a sobering reminder that there are still families who are continuing to search for the remains of their relatives and are urgently seeking closure so many years later. As someone interested in working within the transitional justice sector, the opportunity to witness and be surrounded by individuals who have been directly impacted by the genocide has given me a renewed perspective and awakening that the individuals and places that experience these horrific events are real and not simply pages in a textbook. This perspective is something that not many people get to experience, and I will forever remember this experience and take what I have learned into my future academic and professional career.
Berelian Karimian
BA International Studies and Computer Science
Internship with J.P.Morgan, New York
During my summer internship in New York City, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of technical projects in the context of a large international financial institution, gaining hands-on experience and developing my programming skills with Java, Python, Spring Boot, and PySpark. I constructed scripts and backend systems to process large datasets efficiently, build scalable applications, and automate complex workflows for the marketing team of the firm. This work allowed me to strengthen my software engineering skills and gain practical experience in designing systems that handle real-world data challenges. My favorite part of the internship was the interdisciplinary nature of my project as it was necessary to consistently communicate with the product and analytics teams while I developed my solutions to their problems.
Although my internship was not directly related to international economic development, it provided me with invaluable tools and problem-solving approaches that will be critical for my future career goals. The ability to analyze large amounts of data, build reliable software solutions, and translate complex problems into actionable systems is directly applicable to creating tools for global impact, as I hope to do in the future. Furthermore, learning about the interdisciplinary nature of the firm and seeing how the teams collaboratively fit together gave me more insight into how I could fit into the firm myself. I now recognize how technical expertise can complement my international studies education, and the experience made me realize I want to pursue more research-based roles in the future. Research-focused work offers an additional level of understanding and perspective, which better equips me to develop effective solutions.
Particularly, as the intersection of technology to support informed decision-making and data-driven insights on an international scale and in global governance systems is an area of limited research, I am very interested in delving more into this field, either through future projects at the firm or through other research opportunities. Ultimately, my summer experience has shown me that even when work is outside my immediate field of interest, the foundational skills I build now will empower me to make meaningful contributions in research and technology-driven initiatives in the future. I learned to combine my analytical thinking with creativity and effective communication, skills that are essential for tackling complex global challenges in an international career. I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned so much, and I look forward to applying my skills in the next steps of my academic journey.
Ashley Smith
BA International Studies (International Security, Norms, and Cooperation); Spanish
Violations Against Indigenous Africa (VAIA) and the Parakuiyo Indigenous Community Development Organization (PAICODEO), Tanzania
This summer, with funding from PICS, I worked in Tanzania as both a researcher and intern with Violations Against Indigenous Africa (VAIA) and the Parakuiyo Indigenous Community Development Organization (PAICODEO). My project focused on the human rights and land violations affecting the Maasai community, specifically how water scarcity in Lesoit Village, Kiteto Region shapes the daily lives and opportunities of Maasai women. Partnering closely with Adam Ole Mwarabu, PAICODEO’s founder and director, I contributed to community outreach, policy analysis, and resource mobilization while conducting a gender-sensitive study that centers women’s experiences.
This internship directly expanded my International Studies education by moving theory into practice. In my coursework, I have explored global human rights frameworks and the intersections of gender, environment, and policy. In Lesoit Village, those ideas became tangible: I saw how the failure of a World Bank–led water project created enduring structural inequities and how international development efforts can unintentionally reinforce the very inequalities they aim to resolve. Witnessing how Maasai women carry the heaviest burdens of water scarcity, yet are frequently excluded from land and resource decision-making, sharpened my understanding of intersectionality, a concept I had previously studied in an academic context.
This experience also clarified my future career goals. I plan to pursue a master’s degree in international relations and ultimately work in global human rights advocacy and policy reform. Collaborating with Indigenous leaders and witnessing the resilience of the Maasai community reinforced my commitment to community-driven solutions and to centering marginalized voices in policy-making. The combination of on-the-ground fieldwork and policy analysis has equipped me with practical skills and an ethical framework that will guide my graduate studies and future professional path.
Because PAICODEO’s work challenges powerful interests and exposes serious human rights violations, any photographs from my internship are highly sensitive. Under PAICODEO’s request, I have chosen not to share images that could reveal identities or locations, as doing so could place community members and PAICODEO staff at risk of harassment or prosecution. Their safety and privacy remain my highest priority.
Beyond technical knowledge, the research I did deepened my sense of responsibility as an advocate. I left Tanzania with a more nuanced understanding of how global systems, local realities, and gender dynamics intertwine. This perspective will continue to shape my academic work and inspire a lifelong commitment to advancing Indigenous rights and equitable resource distribution worldwide.
