Sophia Vahanvaty

I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to intern at the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. My experience at SSRC really cemented my passion for conflict prevention and my conviction in the power that international organizations have to make the world more peaceful.

I loved how I was able to 'learn by doing' and had the honor of contributing to the work that SSRC is doing to support the World Bank and UNDP. My coworkers were so lovely and knowledgeable and really encouraged me to continue this kind of work in subsequent summers and after graduation.

From translation to helping execute meetings that brought together the UN, World Bank and regional experts, I had so many new experiences that made me so excited about all the potential paths I can pursue in Global Studies. This internship made me much more likely to pursue a line of work related to think tanks, international development and/or intergovernmental organizations because I loved how the work I did at SSRC involved constantly learning about current events, using my foreign language skills and facilitating the planning and improvement of conflict prevention programs that have real social impacts.

The experience definitely proved to me the importance of foreign language fluency and staying up to date with current events and foreign relations. Thus, upon return to classes at Stanford, I definitely plan on continuing my Arabic studies and taking more international relations classes.