LESSONS ABOUT THE WORLD

I was raised in a household that in and of itself was always international. As a first-generation descendant of Japanese and Dominican parents, I felt like I knew what it means to be globally minded. I have also been fortunate enough to travel extensively to various countries around the world. These factors have all played a significant role in my decision to attend a university where International is quite literally its middle name.

 

Throughout my time at FIU, I have always found myself in a globally-minded space. In my first year at FIU, I decided to join the Model United Nations (MUN) team. This decision is what pushed me to not just live and experience the world around me but to consider the issues that exist throughout the world. In this organization, I learned about global problems such as sustainable development limitations for small island developing states I spent countless hours learning about the meaning of diplomacy and how that changes from one country to the next. The global learning courses that I took also shaped how I approached my time in MUN to consider more theories and diversity of thought. From my global learning courses to my participation in Model United Nations, I have developed an international perspective towards my work. I have grown into a citizen of the world who considers how decisions made in my local community play into the bigger picture.

​

This mentality is what drove me to participate in an internship program with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). My first time interning at USAID I was the communications intern for the Anti-Corruption Task Force. In this role, I learned about the negative impact that corruption can have on countries in all areas. My second time interning at USAID was for the Niger Foreign Office where I had the opportunity to directly work with Foreign Service Officers and issues that directly impacted the people in Niger. In both of these internships, I experienced the need for a global perspective and the ability to understand the complexities of every policy proposal or decision made. 

 

This program has truly heightened my experience with the world. I learned how to pinpoint global issues in my community through the Tuesday Times Roundtables and saw these global issues in action throughout my internship at USAID. My various experiences both on campus through organizations such as MUN or off-campus with USAID, have truly shaped me into a global citizen. Overall, this program has elevated my time at FIU in a way that will impact me in my career and beyond.