George Washington University Athletics
Revolutionary Perspective: My Summer Internship Experience
10/11/2023 10:46:00 AM | Women's Basketball, Academic Services
In our third edition of Revolutionary Perspective, we learn about Nya Lok, who is a graduate student on the GW women's basketball team. Lok spent the summer as a programs and partnerships intern for the International Justice Mission.
Name: Nyaduoth Lok
Sport/Year: Women's Basketball | Grad Student
Major: MS Interdisciplinary Business Studies
Internship: Programs and Partnerships Intern (European Region)
Company/Organization: International Justice Mission (IJM)
Type: Non-profit/ International NGO
Location: Arlington, VA
Questions:
1. How would you describe this internship experience to others?
I would describe this internship experience as a stepping stone to my upcoming journey. As a graduate student, I am in the current stages of figuring out the starting point to my career, and this internship experience has given me a taste of the corporate world, the pros and cons and where my expertise lies.
2. What was the process of acquiring your internship? Application, interview, networking?
The process of acquiring my internship began with a conversation with my Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) bible study mentor Krista who had some experience with humanitarian work, and she sent me a list of internships that were occurring in the summer. Next I was required to write a resume, cover letter and application proposal. Through help from Julia Browne in the athletic department, I was able to apply with an amazing application that embodied every aspect of who I am as an athlete, my personality characteristics, workforce experience and my hopes and dreams.
3. What are your lessons learned from your process?
The lessons learned from my process are…
Throughout this internship I learned about grant management and grant acquisition processes for programs related to IJM's Africa and Europe region.
The greatest lesson I learned from my internship is to keep persisting in the face of adversity. What IJM does is not a simple task as they are trying to change justice systems around the world. Many obstacles are faced in this process, however, every Tuesday, a success story is shared about a survivor of sex and human trafficking, police abuse of power, modern day slavery and violence against women and children who has been rescued by IJM. This becomes a reminder of why we do what we do, and the importance of our work; pushing us forward to keep persisting to change the abusive power dynamics of this world.
6. How does this experience inform your next step in your career path?
This experience cemented my desire to work in the humanitarian sector, reforming systems that exploit the most vulnerable people.
7. What recommendations do you have for other students looking for jobs and internships?
It would be my recommendation to take note of what you are passionate about throughout college, whether it is classes, events, or volunteering and determine what industry caters to that. Take advantage of networking events, ask for advice from family and friends, utilize GW resources, like career coaching and don't be afraid to give it a try. An internship is a great opportunity to learn what you like and dislike, as well as to gain new skills and experiences. Make the most of every opportunity you have at GW.
To access additional resources for your own job or internship search login into Handshake. Scroll down to see upcoming career events and click on "Career Center" to make career coaching appointments, access resources, and search for jobs and internships. Don't forget to sign up for Industry Newsletters with the latest opportunities: Arts/Media/Comm | Business/ Finance/ Consulting | International Affairs/Intelligence | Public Health/Health Sciences | STEM | US Government/ Human Services/Law
Name: Nyaduoth Lok
Sport/Year: Women's Basketball | Grad Student
Major: MS Interdisciplinary Business Studies
Internship: Programs and Partnerships Intern (European Region)
Company/Organization: International Justice Mission (IJM)
Type: Non-profit/ International NGO
Location: Arlington, VA
Questions:
1. How would you describe this internship experience to others?
I would describe this internship experience as a stepping stone to my upcoming journey. As a graduate student, I am in the current stages of figuring out the starting point to my career, and this internship experience has given me a taste of the corporate world, the pros and cons and where my expertise lies.
2. What was the process of acquiring your internship? Application, interview, networking?
The process of acquiring my internship began with a conversation with my Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) bible study mentor Krista who had some experience with humanitarian work, and she sent me a list of internships that were occurring in the summer. Next I was required to write a resume, cover letter and application proposal. Through help from Julia Browne in the athletic department, I was able to apply with an amazing application that embodied every aspect of who I am as an athlete, my personality characteristics, workforce experience and my hopes and dreams.
3. What are your lessons learned from your process?
The lessons learned from my process are…
- The importance of being resourceful: asking for help and utilizing your surroundings will get you places
- Further developing written and verbal skills: it's not what you say, it's how you say it
- Networking is a huge skill to obtain and develop consistently
- Ask questions and express ideas
Throughout this internship I learned about grant management and grant acquisition processes for programs related to IJM's Africa and Europe region.
- I enhanced my overall practical knowledge, skills and application of the grant writing and proposal process through shadowing grant writers
- I participated in debriefing sessions after grant submission and made recommendations for process improvements
- I reviewed previous grant applications to understand the process, vocabulary and structure
- I completed online grant writing tutorial using the JDS software to understand software that is used to educate countries on the grant writing process
- I compared organization's policies to the European Union's to identify critical missing content and make recommendations that were incorporated into updated policies
The greatest lesson I learned from my internship is to keep persisting in the face of adversity. What IJM does is not a simple task as they are trying to change justice systems around the world. Many obstacles are faced in this process, however, every Tuesday, a success story is shared about a survivor of sex and human trafficking, police abuse of power, modern day slavery and violence against women and children who has been rescued by IJM. This becomes a reminder of why we do what we do, and the importance of our work; pushing us forward to keep persisting to change the abusive power dynamics of this world.
6. How does this experience inform your next step in your career path?
This experience cemented my desire to work in the humanitarian sector, reforming systems that exploit the most vulnerable people.
7. What recommendations do you have for other students looking for jobs and internships?
It would be my recommendation to take note of what you are passionate about throughout college, whether it is classes, events, or volunteering and determine what industry caters to that. Take advantage of networking events, ask for advice from family and friends, utilize GW resources, like career coaching and don't be afraid to give it a try. An internship is a great opportunity to learn what you like and dislike, as well as to gain new skills and experiences. Make the most of every opportunity you have at GW.
To access additional resources for your own job or internship search login into Handshake. Scroll down to see upcoming career events and click on "Career Center" to make career coaching appointments, access resources, and search for jobs and internships. Don't forget to sign up for Industry Newsletters with the latest opportunities: Arts/Media/Comm | Business/ Finance/ Consulting | International Affairs/Intelligence | Public Health/Health Sciences | STEM | US Government/ Human Services/Law
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