International Internships, Documentary-making, and Prestigious Programs: How GU-Q Students Spent their Summer
From South Africa, to Switzerland, to Kazakhstan, GU-Q students spent eventful summers engaged in hands-on learning to prepare for active citizenship and productive careers in international affairs.
Building towards a dream career
Several students spent their summers engaging in real-world casework to build their resumes. Abdullah Bin Masood (SFS’25) and Obaid Ullah (SFS’25) were admitted to a highly selective 8-week consulting internship at diiVe in South Africa, where they developed real solutions for clients. Abdullah’s team created a monitoring and evaluation framework and funding strategies for a non-profit youth unemployment agency, which they presented to its board of directors.
“Our recommendations were well-received and slated for implementation. This experience reinforced my passion for leveraging business acumen to drive social impact,” he said.
Ibrahim Absar (SFS’26) advanced his consulting goals at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he studied innovation management.
“I learned that true innovation isn’t just about bold ideas, but about executing them in ways that really transform industries. As I aim for a future in strategy consulting, the ability to drive disruptive change will be crucial, and this experience has prepared me to do exactly that.”
Also at LSE for the summer was International Economics major Areesha Fatima (SFS’25), who took courses on econometrics and big data. She wasn’t alone in capitalizing on the summer to develop highly technical applied skills; International Economics major Anupa Khanal (SFS’26) spent her summer in Vienna, Austria, at the Alternative Economic and Monetary Systems intensive program. Interested in a career advancing circular economics and the impact of sovereign wealth funds, Anupa lived in green dorms and furthered her understanding of economic solutions to the climate crisis.
Meanwhile, International Politics major Aras Karlidag (SFS’25) shared that he spent part of his summer in Milan, Italy as a Lex Fellow, taking part in a selective pre-law fellowship where he took legal training and worked on active cases at multiple law firms. “As an aspiring lawyer or lawmaker, seeing how a variety of firms across different fields of law operate, and working on real cases, helped me put law in a global context, and understand its nuances and significance across various legal systems.”
Advancing Diplomacy Skills
Future diplomats focused on building their networks and learning diplomacy from expert practitioners. Abdul Hannan (SFS’25) immersed himself in the culture and politics of Europe at the Graz University International Summer School at Seggau Castle in Austria, studying the European Union.
“The knowledge, intercultural skills, and connections I gained have prepared me for success in globally focused roles, which require insights into territorial disputes, demographic shifts, and regional transformations that affect global stability and cooperation,” he reflected.
Hannan was joined there by classmate Marjona Nurullaeva (SFS’26), who studied diplomacy to further her research for the Certificate in Media and Politics, focusing on democracy in a post-digital world.
International Politics major Adam Boummasri (SFS’27) attended the Global Health and Diplomacy in Action summer symposium at the University of Geneva, where he learned critical skills and networked with key actors in the global health policymaking landscape.
Adam said of the experience: “Making friends and hearing about their experiences made me feel humble and motivated to continue my studies in International Politics. We were also able to attend workshops at international organizations based in Geneva as part of the program, including the WHO, the IOM, The Global Fund, and the UN.”
Other students deepened their diplomatic language skills through summer immersion programs. Jesmin Mangue (SFS’27) studied in Portugal while Remas Alhawari (SFS’26) attended a CAVILAM-Alliance Française language program in Vichy, France.
Learning to Advocate for Change
Lyaliya Nurpeissova (SFS’27) and Manizha Abdulloeva (SFS’27) spent their summer in Kazakhstan working with legal experts and human rights activists, filming a documentary on the criminalization of domestic violence. In addition to developing technical skills, they practiced essential soft skills for creating change, such as empathy and collaboration. “When we approach storytelling with compassion, we have the power to create a deeper connection and inspire others to take action,” said Lyaliya. “Working with activists and survivors showed me how collective effort can bring hidden issues to the surface. It’s not just about storytelling—it’s about building movements that inspire action and support human rights,” added Manizha. Read about their experience here.
Rania Harrara (SFS’26) interned in Jordan at Reclaiming Childhood, an NGO supporting refugee girls. “In my capacity as a coach at the refugee camp, I got close to a lot of young girls and realized the reality of living under refugee status. This reinforced my desire to use my GU-Q degree to become a lawyer and advocate for women’s and girls’ rights globally.”
Lawrence Mararac (SFS’26) spent a week in Budapest, Hungary, as a delegate to the Headway Institute of Strategic Alliance Youth Dialogue, where he joined with other youth leaders to discuss challenges and solutions to the Sustainable Development Goals and take away key strategies for community action close to home.
“I heard many perspectives and many solutions, and I’d really love to incorporate them here at Georgetown, as well, considering the social and political nature of what we study here.”
All of these exciting opportunities were supported by GU-Q Experience Grants, a new program offering students access to a variety of development opportunities. Now back on campus for the fall semester, students are already planning their next experiential learning experience. Whether it is preparing for an immersive learning trip or pursuing a research grant, students know they have a robust research and experience support infrastructure offering mentorship and guidance throughout their search and application process. As Adam Boumassri explained, “I feel deeply humbled as a student for being given such opportunities, and I am excited to use these resources for future projects.”
Student Grants
GU-Q students are eligible for several sources of funding for research or experiential-related activities. If you’re ready to dive deeper into your research or thinking about an experiential project, visit the following page.
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