Alicia Göckel did a six-month internship at the UN in New York - "A dream came true!"
From July to December 2021, Alicia Göckel, a student of Global Management of Social Issues (GSMI), did an internship at the United Nations in New York. A dream she had had since her early teens came true. She considers herself lucky that Tilburg Bachelor’s programs have a 'mobility window', which allowed her to do this internship without study delay. 'I honestly have nothing negative to say, it has been such a great experience for me!'
Can you tell me something about your background? Why did you choose the GSMI program at Tilburg University?
I’m from Germany originally, and I found my “niche” in human rights public information. I did some internships with refugee social work organizations, some NGO Press projects, and I worked with the UNESCO Commission in Ukraine for six months when I was 19. When I was 16 or 17, I decided to go to Tilburg to do the GMSI program, just because it seemed like a unique combination of all my interests. GSMI provides me with a solid background to work in an international organization. When I started, I didn’t quite know what specific field I wanted to be in yet - and the program helped me explore things like project management, international law, and human resources, which I would probably not have considered otherwise. So that has been quite helpful.
It’s been such a great experience for me!
What made you decide to do an internship at the United Nations?
Honestly, I have always known that the UN was something I was working towards so of course I tried to apply when the opportunity came up. I got my first job as a translator for UN Women Germany at 15, so it’s genuinely something I have always wanted to do, and it felt like a very fitting continuation of my path so far. I reacted to multiple vacancies and did get multiple offers, but I knew right away that the position I ended up in was a bit of a dream job, and the manager I spoke to was also incredibly kind and passionate, so that was a very good fit for both sides, it seems.
What did the internship entail? What were your tasks?
My job was in the UN Publications section within the Department of Global Communications that publishes reports issued by UN agencies, funds, or programs. I had to monitor all notable upcoming releases across the entire UN system and reach out to the authors of these reports. My job was getting all the production assets and marketing information ahead of the launch date, so the report could be featured on the UN iLibrary and UN Shop platforms in time. I also assigned ISBNs and barcodes to upcoming publications and worked on the UN Publishing Catalog, which was very exciting.
So it was a lot of correspondence with colleagues in the UN system, hunting down covers and files, and reading press reports aboutthese reports. Sometimes I was one of the first people in the world to see a new high-profile report apart from the author, and then I would hear about it on the news a week later - that was an amazing feeling.
Can you tell us anything about living in New York?
Unfortunately, I was only in New York for about two months out of the six-month internship. I started remotely in July and flew to New York as soon as the US relaxed their COVID rules in the fall. I also had to leave earlier than anticipated because the Omicron cases skyrocketed in New York in December and the UN closed the Secretariat again. But working remotely worked out surprisingly well for me as well.
I had a room on the Upper West Side in Manhattan and commuted to work by subway - I transferred once at Times Square and walked to the UNHQ from Grand Central station. That alone felt like a movie; seeing everyone rush to work in the finance district and feeling like you’re part of it for a while. It is, of course, expensive though - especially the rent and groceries. In the first two weeks, I also got lost a lot, especially because I didn’t know anyone in the city at first. I do hope I get to return soon, though. I really, really enjoyed my time there.
The so-called ‘mobility window’ in your program made it possible for you to do this internship. How important is a mobility window in a program, do you think?
The mobility window was another of the main reasons I chose the GSMI program, actually. Even though the UN formally allows for interns to be in the last year of their degree, it’s very uncommon, from what I’ve seen. The other interns I met already had degrees because an internship before graduation means study delay in most cases. So I think that the mobility window at Tilburg University is a very unique advantage, especially in international comparison. Completing a six-month internship before you even have a Bachelor’s degree is something that really makes you stand out in a competitive job market, so I’m very grateful for that opportunity.
What did you learn during your internship?
I honestly have nothing negative to say, it’s been such a great experience for me. That was probably also because I got lucky with my team. But having a security pass to the UN Headquarters and walking past the General Assembly Hall every morning alone was incredible. I did not get a lot done my first few days in the office because I kept looking out of the window at the skyline. I also learned so much - I did have some experience in publishing human rights articles beforehand, but a lot of things were new to me on the technical side. I also think I learned a lot by simply emailing so many people every day, and then discovering that they all have Wikipedia entries and thousands of followers. It’s all very intimidating at first, but it really helped my professional communication skills in the end.
What are your plans regarding study and career?
I would like to return to the UN system in some capacity if I can. But I do also know that it’s competitive and that other organizations do great work that I’m interested in as well. At the moment, I am very excited about another Public Information Internship at the International Criminal Court in The Hague that I’m starting in August. Afterward, I would like to pursue a communications-related Master's degree. But for now, it mostly feels good to be back in Tilburg!
Do you have any tips for fellow students who are still looking for a good way to use their mobility window?
I think that all three options (internship, exchange, or a minor) make sense, and will further your ambitions in some way, no matter what you choose. Doing either of these things in the first place makes a good impression on future employers. For me personally, an internship made more sense than a minor or exchange, just because it fits better with my “path” so to say. I also felt like I needed a break from pure academics since the online semesters were quite intense for me. However, I know that exchange was exactly right for other students; I think you really need to listen to what type of work excites you most.
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