By Miranda Morton, FCRH '15
Last January, I made the difficult decision to drop the
pre-med track halfway through my junior year. I made this change after some
serious introspection and self-questioning. Despite being only 3 courses away
from completing either a Biology degree, Environmental Science degree, or
General Science degree (all of which I’ve declared at one point or another), I
could no longer pretend to myself that pursuing a career in the medical field
or devoting my life to scientific research would ever make me happy. It only
took two and a half years, but I finally conceded that my passion has always
been learning about other nations—their governments, cultures, religions, environmental
practices, and relationships with other countries.
The part that made this decision so difficult was that I had
no idea what people are supposed to do with an International Studies major!
With a science degree, my future felt more straightforward: to become a dentist
would mean going to dental school, which means completing the prerequisites
during my undergrad studies. With a humanities degree, however, my career no
longer depends on the acquisition of a D.D.S. but rather on the types of
opportunities I seek, the ideas I come up with, and the drive I have to
succeed.
One of the first opportunities presented to me after
switching majors came from my new International Studies advisor. He was
advertising for an internship at the United Nations taking place within the
Department of Public Information (DPI), whose mission is “to promote global
awareness and understanding of the work of the United Nations.” After applying
and interviewing, I became one of two Fordham Youth Representatives for the
2014/2015 school year.
Since my internship commenced in September, I have attended
high-level briefings with preeminent figures in attendance, like Ban Ki-moon
and Helen Clark, international days of celebration, including the International
Day of Non-Violence and the International Day of Older Persons, an intimate
small committee meeting with the NGO Committee on Education, and mid-level dialogues
on post-2015 implementation of action agenda items.
Though this is my first internship and I’ve only been on the
job for two months, I can see how this internship experience is unique. Much of
my job description remains undefined, allowing me to craft my experience in the
most beneficial way I see fit. Yes, part of the job description includes
attending briefings, writing summaries, keeping up a blog,
and bringing other students to the UN, but if that were all I was doing, I’d be
missing out.
With the liberty I’ve been granted, I’ve truly been able to
take advantage of this learning experience. By virtue of events and
conferences, the DPI brings together UN officials and NGOs from around the
world, all representing different causes. This has made networking incredibly
easy for me and has already allowed me to garner resources and contacts for
developing my future career. I’ve also had the chance to share my experience by
spreading knowledge of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals and forthcoming
Sustainable Development Goals. My predominant goal as a Youth Representative is
to keep the Fordham population informed with the goings-on at the UN, so that
we may become more enlightened and more united in our action towards bettering
our world, and more specifically, our own Bronx community. By collaborating and
forming partnerships, we can help implement the UN’s agenda.
One thing I’ve learned at the UN is that though there is
war, anxiety, and tension throughout the world, there also exists a strong
commitment to create prosperity for all nations. My time at the UN has thus far
cultivated my passion for examining global challenges and analyzing possible
solutions. As I consider my future, I hope to pursue further opportunities that
would allow me to become involved in the global initiative for a better and
more sustainable world. Though I still have no idea what people with an
International Studies major “do”, this internship has allowed me to explore the
myriad avenues stretched out before me.
If you're interested in becoming a Fordham Youth Representative for the 2015/2016 school
year, please contact Ms. Kelly Roberts at keroberts@fordham.edu.
Applications are due in May.
