Julia Gorlovetskaya describes her experience as an intern for United Nations Academic Impact and her journey developing the #Work4Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ interview series:
A New York City native, I often walked by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Headquarters, marveling at the massiveness of the structure, trying to imagine what went on within its concrete walls. My perception of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, as mysterious as it had been, was turned on its head when I traveled to Nepal, Jordan, and Chile to study human rights. Through research and field visits to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ sites, I realized that the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ¡¯s scope of work spanned much broader than the conferences and high-level events that it is most known for. From community building, to peacekeeping, to connecting global institutions around shared ideals ¨C the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ touched the lives of all and had a job for everyone.
Inspired to find my own niche at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, I was beyond thrilled when I received an internship offer at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Headquarters in NYC. I felt particularly grateful for the opportunity to work with Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵAI,?as its mission to unite universities around the world struck a chord with my own interests in youth empowerment and education. Serving as a ¡°youth spokesperson¡± for Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵAI, I liaised with many of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵAI¡¯s member institutions in order to learn about their sustainability efforts and draft articles and social media posts to publicize their work.?
Perhaps the most invaluable experience of my internship was the opportunity to pursue an independent project of my choice. Since I am passionate about strategic communications in social advocacy, I decided to complete a comprehensive digital marketing plan for Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵAI. This project allowed me to delve deep into analytics, learning first-hand what goes into successful social campaigns and messaging. Through my research, I discovered that our youthful audience was very interested in working for the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, but found the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system confusing. I related strongly to this sentiment, as I, like many other Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ interns, have found it difficult to navigate the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system and all its many entry points for career development. Motivated by my desire to strengthen youth involvement, I set out to produce, film, and edit a series interviewing different Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ professionals about their journey joining the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and the kind of advice they can offer young professionals. The resulting #Work4Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ series was a great success, receiving the highest engagements of the year on Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵAI¡¯s social platforms and reaching the audiences of international NGOs and universities. This series was not only a beneficial, evergreen resource for international youth and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ interns, but also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to build relationships with so many career professionals across different departments. The mentorship I received from these leading experts has deeply influenced my career aspirations and set me on the path I am on today.?
My experience interning at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵAI was unlike any other internship at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ. This is largely due to the trust the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵAI family enlisted in me. Providing me with the resources and guidance to pursue my passions and deeply believing in my vision, the team inspired me to take initiative, tap into my diverse talents, and create work with long lasting impact. The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ no longer feels as daunting and ¡°mysterious¡± as it once did; to the contrary, it feels a bit like home.
