With the Career Center hosting its Spring 2011 Career and Internship Fair March 8, The Hatchet spoke with two students emphasizing their own cultural heritages in their internships.
Freshman interns with Assembly for Turkish American Associations
Freshman Gizem Tunca has already started paving the way for her career path by interning for the Assembly of Turkish American Associations 3 days a week.
Tunca’s main responsibility has been to coordinate the last day of the first Turkish American National Leadership Conference, held March 17 to 19. The last day, or Young Turks Day, is aimed at recognizing and celebrating all of the Turkish-American students in the greater D.C. area.
“It will explain how young Turkish-American students can get out there and really bring back cultural awareness and strengthen relationships between the United States and Turkey,” Tunca said.
Spurred by her dedication to her Turkish heritage, Tunca is also the public relations officer for GW’s Turkish Student Association, which is how she learned of the internship with the ATAA.
Tunca said she does not wish to work at the ATAA permanently. She envisions herself working for the government, perhaps as a special envoy for the U.S. State Department.
“I’d like [a job] that represents the U.S.-Muslim community or any job where I can really focus on strengthening the relationship between my two cultures,” Tunca said.
Ricki Maybruch / Hatchet Reporter
Sophomore interns with Irish embassy
With GW’s close proximity to Capitol Hill, it’s tempting to look for internships in U.S. government agencies, but sophomore Joanne O’Sullivan didn’t want to go the route of so many of her peers. Instead, she interns for the Embassy of Ireland.
“My primary motivation for applying was to learn more about international relations and witness diplomacy,” O’Sullivan said. “I thought this exposure would enable me to practically apply what I’ve learned from the Elliott School [of International Affairs].”
O’Sullivan, who began interning in January, was also hoping to get a new perspective on her Irish heritage.
Being the only undergraduate intern at the embassy hasn’t kept her from getting hands-on experience with the inner workings at 2234 Massachusetts Ave. She is the embassy’s cultural affairs intern, which allows her to work directly with Ambassador Michael Collins.
“I primarily help coordinate cultural events promoting the Imagine Ireland campaign, which seeks to spread awareness on Irish culture in America,” O’Sullivan said.
Kelsey Grashoff / Hatchet Reporter
