Name: Carina Kaplan

Year: Junior

Majors: Political Science, International Studies

CFS Program: Field Studies in Social Justice

Employer: Chicago Council on Global Affairs

This spring I have had the opportunity to be a Corporate Relations intern for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is a nonpartisan membership organization that provides information and insight into global affairs for Chicagoland residents. Every year the Council puts on events such as the Global Food Security Symposium and the Chicago Forum on Global Cities promoting a sense of international responsibility for all individuals.

As a Corporate Relations Intern, I assist in managing the teams Salesforce account and putting together corporate-related content demonstrating the impact of events. I have already learned a lot about how organizations communicate with their corporate sponsors and am looking forward to continuing to observe and help facilitate these relationships. In addition, as an intern I have had the opportunity to attend many interesting events such as an intimate discussion on the future of Saudi Arabia. I am very grateful to have this opportunity to learn even more about foreign affairs from a diverse group of fascinating speakers.

My CFS class has also been extremely worthwhile and complementary to my internship experience. My class, Field Studies in Social Justice, has already helped me become more aware of how I can continue being an activist and promote social justice in any career I choose. Focused on criminalization, we have learned about the history of policing and how it relates to different identities such as race and gender. This class has been an especially important aspect of my CFS experience as it has challenged me to think through my work and my future differently.

This experience has been very valuable and I know it will continue to challenge and interest me. I am looking forward to continuing to learn about global affairs and social justice and how they can continuously intersect. I would recommend the CFS program to anyone who wants professional experience while they are an undergraduate and those who want to pursue their passions in an alternative environment.