Fatih Cungurlu about his internship with the Council on Foreign Relations, NYC

Fatih Cungurlu is one of our 2nd year students enrolled into two years MA program in International Relations. Similar to Sonia, he is taking part in the joint Bard-CEU initiative. Read what Fatih is writing about his experience in the US:

I came to New York City at the end of August for the second year of my MA program at the International Relations Department and Bard Globalization and International Affairs Program. The program comprises doing an internship in organizations that students are interested in during the day and taking classes from CEU and BGIA in the evenings. Ultimately, we get the chance to experience the professional aspect of the international affairs in such an important global city like New York City meanwhile being able to theoretically framing and analyzing our internship experiences thanks to the pertinent classes we are taking here. I am interning in the Council on Foreign Relations, Education Department. My task is to provide research and writing support for ‘the Regions of the World Project,’ particularly the regions of East Asia and the Pacific and the Greater Middle East to the education department. I am seeking out resources for the regions, pulling out main ideas and stories from the resources, and writing content for the regions. Besides, my task includes supporting on the visual production side of the project, including archival photo and video research. One of the most exciting parts of working in this organization is that we are encouraged to participate in nearly all council-wide events, such as lectures and roundtables (both open and closed door). For example, during the week United Nations General Assembly gathered several heads of states visited, and I got the chance to participate to the meetings with many presidents, prime ministers, and ministers of foreign countries. Thanks to these events I have the chance to observe policy makers and important stake holders in international relations, which allow me to understand international theory better by observing the practical field.