Hi guys! My name is Kayden McKenzie. I am from Las Vegas, NV. I am a rising senior majoring in Political Science/International Relations and Philosophy and minoring in History.
This summer, I will be interning at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor in the Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs (I know that’s a mouthful) in Washington DC. Essentially, the office where I will be working focuses on U.S. policy on human rights in multilateral organizations such as NATO and the UN. I am unsure of what exactly I will be doing because my responsibilities depend on what the Bureau is focusing on at the time, but I know interns usually attend meetings with policymakers, draft and edit materials, and engage with audiences to explain the role of the State Department.
My five learning objectives for my internship are:
- To apply my academic knowledge to this position in order to solidify my interest in human rights.
- To gain an understanding of how human rights operate in the real world so that I can obtain a professional background for my career path.
- To identify the barriers to implementing policy on human rights and recognize the potential solutions to help overcome these problems.
- To improve my writing skills by learning how to draft and edit materials used by policymakers.
- To enhance my communication skills by actively engaging with policymakers.
My internship relates to NCI’s mission of educating undergraduate women for leadership in the 21st century. In an increasingly interconnected and globalized world, striving for the respect of international human rights helps break cultural barriers by connecting people amongst diverse communities. These connections can contribute to the world becoming a more equal place.
I am incredibly excited for my internship because although I am passionate about international human rights, I have not received the opportunity to work in foreign policy until now. I believe that this opportunity will solidify my professional aspirations and give me a clearer idea of the next step on my career path.
I am preparing for this internship by planning to make the most out of my time in Washington DC for the summer. I plan to visit as many sites as I can while I am not working!
