WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Brett R. Saunders

Brett Saunders is a Dean’s List student majoring in history with a minor in Spanish at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Brett also attended Boston University’s International Program in Madrid, Spain, and she graduated from the Community School of Naples, Italy. In the past, she was a summer intern at Northwestern University’s Kellog School of Management. Brett was chosen as a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society and Alphs Lambda Delta National Honor Society. She won first prize in an Essay Competition sponsored by the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences in 2005 and earned the Outstanding Student Award in World History, U.S. History, and World Literature. Brett also was honored with the Benjamin Briggs History Award and the Maxine L. Strayer Humanity Award. She was a member of the Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society, and Honor Council. Brett did volunteer world for the Pediatric AIDS Chicago Prevention Initiative and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; she was also a Relay for Life participant. A member of Kappa Delta Sorority, Brett did volunteer work for Special Olympics. She traveled extensively to Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, Thailand, and Morocco in addition to Spain. Brett applied to the Washington Internship Program in early April of 2006 and requested an internship in international relations. Although Brett missed most deadlines, WIP was able to place her within two weeks at the World Affairs Council on K Street, N.W. where she worked in the summer while living at International House, which is run by the Washington Internship Program. Brett described her varied, fascinating internship in her paper:  

“From June 15 through August 18, 2006 I was an intern at the World Affairs Council of Washington, D.C., which is a non-profit membership organization that educates the community about current events and global developments. The World Affairs Council organizes lectures and panels for members, plans an annual Summer Institute for teachers, and holds programs specifically for students. I was fortunate to help organize, plan, and run several events. This summer the Council held a panel discussion on the crisis in Darfur, a lecture on the U.S.-India nuclear deal, a dialogue on U.S.-Iran relations, and a panel on Musharraf's Pakistan. For all of these events, I assisted with registering attendees, advertising sessions, and setting up lectures. I also took notes and wrote brief synopses that appeared on the Council's website. In addition, the other intern in the office and I worked on developing the Council's Young Professionals Program. We wrote a proposal, began publicizing it to members, and hope to have networking, a mentoring program, book talks, and cultural programs specifically for young professionals beginning in the fall.”

“At the start of my internship, I worked on the 2006 Summer Institute, a week-long program for middle and high-school teachers. This year, the Institute was entitled "Looking Toward Asia." Educators attended lectures on different regions, traditions, and news from Asia. The subjects discussed included China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, India, the Asian economy, nuclear proliferation, geographical topics, Islam in Asia, financial development, Buddhism, and Confucianism. On the end, teachers spent the day at the World Bank and the State Department where they discussed energy, the economy, and U.S. foreign policy in Asia. Overall, the Institute received rave reviews from participants. I was able to attend this conference in order to take notes and help run it, and I learned as much as the teachers did. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from top experts in different fields. After the Institute, I wrote summaries that will become part of a brochure to advertise this program in the future.”  

“I also helped with several projects in the office. First I conducted research that the president of the Council will use to write an article investigating the stance of think-tank members on the war in Iraq. I also registered members, drafted membership reports, and put together a newsletter for Council members. I scouted locations for future events and found a trade simulation for the Council to use in its upcoming Youth Trade Forum.”

“My internship this summer allowed me to help run the Council in significant ways. It is a small organization with a president, two staff members, and two interns, so I was really able to get involved and work on projects that will have definite results in the future. The other people working there were upbeat, relaxed, and professional. The work environment was superb, and I know I will stay in touch with my co-workers. Overall, my experience was wonderful, and I’m glad that I had this exciting opportunity.”

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