Last fall, I took the opportunity to diversify my knowledge of International Relations into the Public Affairs and Global Communications sector. Interning with Burson Cohn & Wolfe in Brussels, recently named PRovoke Media’s 2020 Global Agency of the Year and formerly known as Burson-Marsteller, I had the opportunity to closely interact with several private sector and government clients. From organizing, publicizing and promoting Government and European Commission initiatives to working with several energy, sustainability, and policy directed projects across the EU, I was never short of new learning.
I have always imagined myself working in policy and development, in the foreign office or the UN. However, this internship opened my eyes to a new aspect of IR and public diplomacy. Alongside my placement in the BCW Communications Team, I was able to work in the Government Relations department at BCW. These confidential projects utilized my Maxwell experiences by covering IR and global digital policy developments, engaging in policy with the private sector, and drafting urgent crisis communication proposals (for which we won!).
My main responsibilities changed every day. In fact, on my first day I was warned, “you’ll be thrown into the deep-end, it might feel overwhelming, but you’ll adjust quickly”. Never have those words been truer. Immediately assisting with client-media relations, policy and social monitoring, proposal drafting, event planning and management, writing and publishing promotional materials, communicating with MEPS and influencers and more, all across several private sector clients and governing bodies, my mind was being well trained in the art of efficient multitasking. Previous 4-hour long tasks can now be completed in 1 hour; the blessing of being thrown into the deep-end – you can really see how far you’ve come!
I was pleasantly surprised by how hands on I was during my internship. It was great to feel valued as an intern and to see my work approved and used with clients. This experience has motivated me on my IR endeavors, and I will leave my internship being both incredibly thankful for this experience and with a new-found beloved Nespresso addiction.
Nadia Husseini-Eyre is an MAIR student currently finishing her degree in Seoul, Korea at SU’s Yonsei University, World Partner program.
