Olivia Humphrey
BA International Studies, Anthropology, and Political Science
Completing a research internship at the Rabat Social Studies Institute in Morocco has laid the foundations for my international career and prepared me for my postgraduate studies, building off my international studies education at Michigan. Living in Morocco for two months to complete this internship would not have been possible without the Rose Silverman fellowship, which allowed me to live in Rabat and complete the internship without financial stress.
My work at the RSSI clarified what a future in academia looks like with tangible results in policy change. The policy briefs made by the institute inform policy recommendations made to the Moroccan parliament, which has in the past yielded changes in lawmaking. The brilliant Moroccan political scientists who work at the RSSI emphasized the importance of well-informed research based on decolonial and interdisciplinary thinking. I know now how my future research can yield actual change outside of academia, and I understand the importance of ethical and accessible research in a way I could not have beforehand. In addition to preparing for conferences hosting scholars from Iraq, Palestine, Portugal, and Spain, the highlight of my internships was writing and publishing my own policy briefs. These publications, two of which are co-authored and one of which is single-authored, are currently under peer review and will be made available for free to the wider public through the RSSI publication platform. Going through the publication process has been an invaluable experience that will be a strong foundation for my future career in research.
Furthermore, this internship allowed me to immerse myself in Moroccan culture, furthering my understanding of the political climate of a hybrid regime. Conversations with Moroccan citizens about their feelings regarding the upcoming election really contextualized my research at RSSI. As I wrote policy analysis publications on voter abstention in Morocco, I was also able to witness firsthand what political apathy under a monarchy looks like. When researching political apathy, I could discuss my research with my Moroccan friends and better understand their perspective on why Moroccan youth feel so disconnected from their democracy. My research interests of occupation and border politics, the topics of which I am writing a senior honors thesis in PICS for, were also furthered by both my internship and my everyday life in Morocco. The imagery of Western Sahara as an inevitable part of Morocco stood in strong contrast to the general rejection of French colonialism. Museum exhibits, news broadcasts, and even merchandise and products all contributed to my understanding of the current status of the Western Sahara in the Moroccan psyche. I can now prepare my thesis, part of which is about international recognition in Western Sahara, informed by this experience.
Because of this fellowship, I am returning to the University of Michigan with a deeper understanding of the purpose of research and passion for my future studies. This experience provided me with a better understanding of what decolonizing academia looks like both in the classroom and in the workplace. I now also have substantive, relevant, quantifiable skills and publication experience in the NGO sphere. My thesis is now better informed by a closer understanding of the realities of African politics, hybrid regimes, and postcolonial academia, and my future career goals are now much more clearly defined. I look forward to building off these lessons and incorporating the new perspectives I gained in my research and my studies.
Sasha Llanes Kaminski
BA International Studies and Economics
During my internship experience abroad, I was able to gain a lot of personal and professional experience. Thank you to my fellowship donors, they were able to help me gain more of an understanding of the career path I want to take, and advance my knowledge in the field.
This past summer, I worked for a travel agency, Tripjoin. Tripjoin is a small start-up based in Barcelona, ES. They are a Spanish travel operator that is catered towards young, curious travelers that want to join a group of similar, like-minded people. They care for your excursions, hotels, transfers, and the entirety of your experience. Iair Mowszet and Gerard Serra are the two founders of the company, who I worked under for about 7-8 weeks. I worked closely with Gerard Serra, and a fellow colleague, Juan, who specialized in destination expansion, market research, and competitive strategy. In short, I connected with destination management companies in various countries in Europe in order to attract a wider clientele to the company. As Tripjoin already had many previous trips in places like Marrakech, Morocco, Bali, Thailand, and more- they felt that it was about time to expand throughout their home continent, Europe. During my experience, I was able to connect Tripjoin with destination management companies and create itineraries for trips in Madeira, Portugal, or Budapest, Hungary, and even Lapland, Finland. I learned a lot about expansion strategy, strategic communications, and how to effectively research for operational growth.
For personal experience, this fellowship helped me understand what I want to do and who I want to be. This experience solidified my desire to pursue a career that involves both travel and international business. Being able to work in a foreign country allowed me to gain independence, build confidence, and even explore a culture that contrasts mine so greatly. During my experience, I was provided housing in a student residence with other undergraduate students in the United States. I had connected with people from Colorado Boulder, University of Wisconsin, and even ivy leagues like Harvard and Cornell. Some of these students became some of my best friends today and made this experience not so lonely. However, even as I met people, I learned how to budget my money, work on my decision making, and how to adapt to different environments. I built more confidence and self-esteem by being in an environment without my original support system. Also, even as both Spain and the United States are two similar countries in numerous aspects, their lifestyles are so different. Their work culture is strikingly different from the United States. There is this quote I had heard prior, “People in Europe work to live, while people in the United States live to work.” At first glance, this quote may not be as prominent; however, by living in Europe it became exceedingly clear. The Spaniards, and the people I had met genuinely enjoy the simplicities of life, and value their leisure time spent with both family and friends. I felt as if my day was a good balance of work and growth, while also learning to enjoy life outside of consistent effort. This mentality, I would like to integrate into my own lifestyle at school. Hard-work is always rewarded and a good part of discipline; however, I need not be so serious and enjoy the special moments with the people in my life. Apart from all these personal skills, mentalities, and experiences I had, I was able to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Spanish language. Through work and everyday life, I spoke Spanish with my supervisors, colleagues, and even the locals. It helped me gain a skill I have been trying to grow since I was in seventh grade. This immersion helped all my skills from speaking, writing, listening and more. I could not be more grateful for this experience, language, and culture.
In a more professional standpoint, my internship has allowed me to gain plenty of both hard and soft skills that I will be taking into my future career. This experience helped me grow on prior skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem solving, and expand on newer skills such as strategy and research. After completing this internship- through creating packages, itineraries, and connecting with numerous partnership destinations- I grew confidence in my outreach skills. My start-up was in the center of Barcelona where I worked in an office environment from nine to six Monday through Thursdays, and I had remote Fridays. This experience was so different from what I had experienced before as working in retail and food service rely on me being constantly on my feet. Also, this internship has allowed me to make significant contributions and have hands-on experience on business operations as I have previously only been used to working for corporate companies. Through all of this, whether it is hard or soft skills, working in an office environment, and working with a variety of different people- I feel more prepared and confident to pursue a future career in international business. I hope to continue growing these skills with future experiences; however, I could not be more grateful for my fellowship donors for providing this opportunity. It created a foundation for success in my future.
Natalie Nikolajevs
BA International Studies
This past spring term, I was lucky enough to receive funding from the PICS Summer Research/Internship Fellowship to support my participation in the University of Michigan-Dearborn Ottawa Internship Program. During my time in Ottawa, I worked in the office of Member of Parliament Iqra Khalid in the Parliament of Canada and gained invaluable knowledge through my experiences there.
As an intern, I was fully immersed in the world of Canadian politics. I got to sit in on a variety of committee meetings where politicians crafted legislation to help benefit the lives of Canadians. It was interesting to hear about the Canadian perspective on the United States as well, especially in light of the recent tariffs and tension between our nations. The discussions about this put into perspective how interwoven Canada and the United States are and the impact that the legislation each country passes can have on the other. I delved into the realm of Canadian law as I supported my MP’s work on the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights by writing briefings for her prior to meetings. I also attended one of the meetings for the Standing Committee on International Human Rights which was a particularly special opportunity given my passion for the subject area and the fact that I am one of the Donia Human Rights Center Fellows.
Beyond my time in committee, I also took advantage of working in the government to interview a variety of influential individuals who gave me insight into the work they do and very meaningful advice. First, I interviewed the Latvian Ambassador to Canada who discussed his experiences working in international affairs and the sacrifices he’s made to do this important work. I was grateful to hear about his experiences as an ambassador and what it’s like working in diverse countries. He shared how the topics he discusses with the local government vary highly depending on where he is and what the Latvian government needs to discuss with them most. I also interviewed multiple Members of Parliament, such as MP Marilyn Gladu, MP Tim Louis, MP Jessica Fancy, and MP Anita Vandenbeld. They shared stories from their careers and what life is like as a Canadian politician. My conversations with MP Louis and MP Vandenbeld were especially impactful. MP Louis has a similar interest in the performing arts as I do and we bonded over our love of music. He also shared what it’s like being an American-born politician in Canada and how that impacts his experiences in Parliament. MP Vandenbeld has worked internationally and gave me extensive advice on careers in the international affairs and human rights spheres. She also discussed her transition into politics after working in these fields.
Finally, I was able to interview multiple interpreters who perform simultaneous interpretation for the House of Commons and even visit the interpretation booth. As someone who studies Spanish and French, it was exciting to hear about a potential career field and the importance of French and English to Canadian culture.
I would not have been able to connect with these individuals or have these amazing experiences without the support of the PICS Summer Research/Internship Fellowship. Thisfunding meant the world to me. It allowed me to have this unforgettable experience that changed my life for the better and gave me the confidence to work in political and international fields in the future.
Abigail Radcliff
BA International Studies and Spanish
This summer I was a Research Intern at the Post Conflict Research Center in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina for 8 weeks. The Rose Silverman Internship Fellowship grant that I received was able to assist me with my summer internship, in regards to things such as my accommodation in Sarajevo and travelling there from the United States. Most importantly, it granted me the opportunity to learn about post conflict societies from beyond the classroom and it granted me real, practical work and life experience.
One of my projects as an intern was to write my own article for the creative multi-media platform, Balkan Diskurs. I chose to explore museum ethics and the power of storytelling where I visited and interviewed representatives from 3 different museums in Bosnia. This experience taught me the importance of conveying the past in post conflict societies, especially with topics as heavy such as genocide or ethnic cleansing. Furthermore, it gave me practical experience in article writing and conducting interviews with experts. These are skills that I can take with me in my future career and education because they have increased my research abilities and allowed me to write a non-academic article.
What I will most takeaway from this experience is the week long program of the Srebrenica Youth School that PCRC puts on, connecting international and regional youth to come together to learn about the Srebrenica Genocide of July 1995. This experience included lectures on transitional justice, memorialization, and genocide denial. Furthermore, we visited the ICMP in Tuzla to learn about the process for collecting and identifying remains of victims of the genocide. On July 11th, the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, we beared witness to the burial of 10 newly identified victims of the Srebrenica Genocide in the Potocari cemetery. This experience taught me about the Bosnian War and the Srebrencia genocide, but the most rewarding part of it was the friendships I built and the people I connected with. I met people from all over the world, countries like Serbia, Peru, and South Africa. These are people that I probably would have never met if I did not choose to do this internship. I was introduced to a variety of perspectives and individuals and they have each formed by conception of the Bosnian War.
Overall, the PICS grant allowed me to further my education but to also build professional experiences and networks in international spaces. I was able to live abroad for 2 months and explore the Balkans and the amazing cultures that it offers. I am very grateful to the PICS department at the University of Michigan for this opportunity and am excited to bring what I have learned back to Ann Arbor this fall.
Allison Voto
BA International Studies and Political Science
Over the summer, I interned as a legislative staffer with Canadian Member of Parliament Marcus Powlowski, who represents the riding of Thunder Bay—Rainy River in Ontario, Canada. This internship, done as part of a study abroad program through U-M Dearborn, was uniquely tailored to fit my academic interests and develop my professional skills. Because the office was relatively small, I was given meaningful work and worked closely with my supervisors, including the M.P. I saw all sides of the political process, from taking notes during meetings with outside organizations to researching bills to develop questions for committees. Throughout the internship, I worked on constituent services to assist residents of the riding, sat in on Parliamentary sessions, and conducted my own research projects. I gained a behind-the-scenes perspective on the workings of a legislative office, including how crucial decisions with global implications are made and how essential work is completed. This work also helped me develop critical professional skills, including strengthening my research, writing, and analytical skills through legislative briefs, correspondence, and policy analysis.
This internship also helped me to connect my International Studies classes at Michigan to practical experience. For example, I expanded my knowledge base of three topics I find very interesting: immigration policy, indigenous politics, and environmental protections in the Great Lakes. I have taken several classes on all of these topics, so this experience gave me practical experience. For example, my assignments included writing several briefings for M.P. Powlowski, including on rural immigration in Canada and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. For this writing, I drew on previous knowledge from U-M classes. Additionally, M.P. Powlowski’s riding includes the Treaty Five First Nations, so I communicated with their offices and coordinated several events relating to their historic treaty rights. These experiences allowed me to apply my knowledge practically and see how class material plays out in the real world. Most importantly, though, I learned an incredible amount about the ways the Canadian parliamentary system functions.
As someone who’s applying to law school and intends to work as an attorney, this internship provided a valuable opportunity to learn more about the ways policies are formed. Participating in such a behind-the-scenes way in the formation of Canadian policy also encouraged me to think very deeply about the differences between the parliamentary system of Canada and the presidential system I grew up with in the United States, allowing me to critically examine the advantages and disadvantages. For example, while Canada’s appointed Senate was quite shocking to me, I grew to really appreciate the power of a nonpartisan head of state, who can represent Canada as a country rather than specific policies. That symbolism has real power on the international stage!
Interestingly, much of my internship involved the relationship between Canada and the United States, which has obviously become increasingly tenuous in recent months. As a result, I developed practical skills in navigating politically tense situations, both personally when talking to staffers as an American and professionally as we worked to solve issues. For example, one major issue during my internship was a proposed mine in Minnesota that potentially could pollute the Boundary Waters, a shared watershed between Minnesota and Powlowski’s riding. To address this issue, I helped arrange Powlowski’s trip to Washington, D.C., along with several representatives of the Treaty Five First Nations, to speak with American senators, representatives, and non-profit organizations. Additionally, we spoke with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, founded by a bilateral treaty between the two countries, about controversies surrounding their Canadian funding. I also learned more about Canada’s relationship with other nations. As part of the internship program, I interviewed the Ecuadorian ambassador about his goals in Canada and learned more about his perspective on diplomacy. Additionally, I arranged a meeting with the Australian embassy for my M.P. to learn more about immigration and international diplomacy. These experiences increased my practical skills in dealing with difficult circumstances while increasing my knowledge base of Canadian-American relations as well.
Lastly, living in Canada for five weeks taught me a lot about Canadian culture, from simple things like their commitment to bilingual education to learning about history from the Canadian perspective. For example, in our first weekend in Ottawa, a group of people in my cohort went to the Tulip Festival, an annual celebration with over 300,000 flowers. The tulips are donated by the Dutch to honor Canada’s role in shelting their exiled royal family during World War II. It was also fascinating to visit Ottawa’s many museums, as I learned much more about the Canadian role in many major world events. A few aspects were a little more difficult, including the fact that I don’t speak French and didn’t know a lot about the Commonwealth. On a fun note, as a hockey fan, I loved being in Canada during the playoffs, and a friend and I even attended an Ottawa Charge PWHL playoff game!
Overall, this internship taught me practical skills and greatly expanded my knowledge of a country that has historically been one of the U.S.’s greatest allies. This international and intercultural experience has made me a better student, a more informed person, and better prepared for my future career and life ahead.
