Wanru Huang (CAS’25), participated in her internship in the summer of 2023. She interned at the United Nations Association for Greater Boston.
How did you learn about this internship opportunity? What career resources from BU or elsewhere did you use during the application and interview process?
On the Yawkey website, “Previous Sites” and Handshake. CCD drop-in resume and cover letter service. A former BU staff whom I keep in touch with helped me prepare for the interview. The same staff and a professor agreed to be my references.
Why did you choose to apply for this particular internship?
It is educational–I’ve always believed in the power of education. It also had to do with Model UN, which is something I had an experience with.
What were your job responsibilities as an intern?*
Compiling information learned about different countries on global issues during research into countries profiles and presentations; giving presentations to middle and high school students on global issues; overseeing them in public speaking, negotiation, position paper writing, and team-building activities; chairing Model UN simulations; drafting daily parent emails; taking photos of the students and from those making a weekly slideshow for parents to see in the closing ceremony.
What was the most rewarding part of your internship?
When I was able to help in the students’s learning process
What was the most challenging part of your internship?
Had to familiarize myself with topics I previously spent little time researching, such as refugee children, deforestation, the TĂĽrkiye-Syria Earthquake, and flooding in Pakistan; nevertheless, the staff members and fellow interns were very supportive and willing to help me out all the time. (In addition, the commute around Greater Boston using public transportation was a real challenge.)
What skills, technical or soft, did you develop during your internship?
Improved public speaking skills since I constantly needed to speak in front of the whole group of students; video editing skills: made a video as an introduction part to my presentation on whale protection & made videos out of weekly student photos.
What is the biggest takeaway from your internship experience?
Opportunities to reflect on global issues, to practice public speaking, and to meet an amazing group of people. Also, the job content doesn’t have to be your biggest passion in your life; as long as you are interested in it, that interest can keep you going.
Please share any notable accomplishments or milestones you achieved during your internship.
Within my first two weeks of working, I was promoted to assistant manager and reached my fourth sales promotion, making me a senior sales associate. I sold over 16k of our product in less than two months and was just accepted as part of this upcoming year’s leadership team!
BU + Beyond 