This past Thursday, December 7th, UMD said farewell to their latest set of interns for the year. Overall, UMD welcomed 14 interns—3 over the spring semester, 8 over the summer, and 3 during the fall.
Over the course of their time here, the interns published reports, drafted press releases, attended events, acted as liaisons between UMD and governmental and non-governmental organizations, and attended hearings, briefings and meetings with leaders of the Macedonia, European, and American governments. They promoted Macedonian culture and educational advocacy, and in doing so gained a deeper understanding of the complexity of what it means to be Macedonian.
UMD’s three final interns of the year—Tammy Randall, Austin Doehler, and Siobhan Finnerty —all reflected on their time at UMD on their last day.
Tammy Randall, a student of the Global Competencies Program through the Washington Center, prior to returning home to Gibraltar, attested:
“My time at the UMD has been an incredible experience. I have been able to gain a deeper understanding of the regional politics of the Western Balkans and American Foreign Policy. I hope that I will be able to use this experience in the future as I continue to be an advocate for Macedonian issues.”
Siobhan Finnerty, an undergraduate student of International Affairs and Geography at the George Washington University, reflected:
“I came to intern for UMD with the hope of learning something new. And, I can safely say that during my time with UMD I have learned a lot. Macedonia is a complicated, yet completely enthralling nation, with pride in its past and hope for its future. Its location on the geopolitical map of the world is but a fragment of what makes up Macedonia’s culture and identity. Through UMD, I found my niche. I’ve determined the questions which I will grapple with for the remainder of my studies, and a wonderful region through which to seek my answers.”
Austin Doehler, a Master’s student of European and Eurasian International Affairs at the George Washington University, stated:
“Interning for UMD gave me a chance to learn more about a region I am extremely passionate about. It was a great chance to build off of the knowledge that I had gained after studying abroad in the Balkan region. I hope that this knowledge will enable me to pursue a career in Western Balkan affairs.”
UMD thanks all of their interns over the past year for their hard work and advocacy efforts, and cannot wait to welcome new interns to UMD headquarters at the beginning of next year.