Getting involved with the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has been an incredible opportunity, and one that has complimented my academic and career interests in so many ways. I am a third-year Political Science major (emphasis in international relations) and professional writing minor at UC Santa Barbara. After graduation, I hope to work in the field of international peace and security for an NGO, the UN, or the State Department. To this end, I was driven to search for an internship that would not only get me involved in an issue of global importance, but could also provide a chance to apply the at-times abstract theories of political science and international relations to the real world. This internship has done just that, and more.
I have been working with NAPF for several months, but the impact it has had on me feels as if it’s been years. I am exposed to countless fascinating, accomplished, and influential people each day I come in to the office or attend one of the Foundation’s many special events and lectures. I have had the opportunity to work on such rewarding projects as filming and editing videos for social media; conducting research on hot-button issues in nuclear weapons/energy; and contributing to the Foundation’s monthly newsletter, among other things.
Not only has my knowledge of critical topics of nuclear security been greatly expanded as a result of this work, but I have been able to hone my writing and communication skills as well. This has paid dividends both in the classroom and in preparing me for the expectations and demands of a future career in international affairs.
As I continue my involvement with this special organization, I look forward to learning even more from my many mentors here about how to be an effective peace leader, and to continue to spread the urgent message of nuclear disarmament to students like myself. As a young person, it’s easy to become numb to the seemingly-chaotic state of world affairs, and feel helpless against the tides of far-away global events. My experience at NAPF has taught me that we are all interconnected in more significant ways than you might think, and even a 20-year-old college student in a California beach town can make a real difference in the world.