Sofie Finn Storan

I was able to spend six weeks in Brussels this summer interning at The Lisbon Council, a think tank that works with the European Commission to evaluate economic and social policy. This internship was my first exposure to Belgium, to think tank research, and to the broader landscape of policy in the European Union, and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had so far in university. My coworkers and supervisors were wonderful and supportive, and my work felt genuinely meaningful and relevant. I’ve included a photo taken after a policy roundtable on internet traffic taxation - the Lisbon Council hosted this event during my last week; I had the privilege to attend both the meeting and the working lunch that followed.

Before accepting the position, my international relations coursework had centered primarily around East Asia. While I was interested in branching out, when I applied, I assumed that my chances at selection were slim since I wasn’t minoring in European studies. Although I was able to take a survey course on the history of the EU the quarter before I left for Brussels, I was able to explore its structure and functions and its role in modern Europe in much greater detail over the course of my internship. Working with the Lisbon Council cemented Europe as a second area of interest and greatly increased my interest in international institutions - particularly, how they facilitate cooperation on security and social development. I’m hoping to explore these functions in greater detail in my last year of university; this internship allowed me to greatly refine my focus within the major.

I really do think that this will be one of the experiences that I’ll value the most from my time at Stanford.