This week, as Emma Persad wraps up her last semester at TRU, she is writing her final exams and defending her thesis as part of her honors degree in cellular, molecular and microbial biology. She’s also packing her bags for Geneva, Switzerland.
Departing this weekend, she is headed to the European metropolis to begin one of two international internships, including a three-month stint at the United Nations.
“Ever since I toured the UN headquarters when I was on a Rotary Youth Exchange, I knew I wanted to combine my interest in the medical field and helping people, with international policy,” explained Persad, who will begin medical school this fall at the University of Central Lancashire in England.
Persad’s first internship—starting next Monday—is with the International Association of Students in Economic and Commercial Sciences (AIESEC), a global not-for-profit organization that fosters engagement and skill development for youth. AIESEC is also an affiliate of the UN, as a partner of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
“My position with AIESEC is assisting with language skills (English and French) in the context of refugee integration. It will include helping refugees with cover letters and resumés,” said Persad, who will be with the organization for six weeks.
Persad became interested in refugees’ challenges through her work with the TRU chapter of World University Service Canada (which she co-founded). WUSC-TRU is currently championing for funds to support a TRU student refugee initiative.
On June 1, Persad will switch gears (and daily commuter trains), as she begins her three-month post at the UN, which grants just 250 internships to over 3,000 applicants worldwide. As an Intern in Public Information for the UN Environmental Program (UNEP), she will be working on communications related to developing countries’ sustainability initiatives.
“I am very interested in international relations, specifically in the health field. Although my UN internship is in communications, it will still expose me to international policy and how organizations like the UN operate.”
And she is no stranger to Europe. “I love Switzerland—I spent a semester there with the TRU Study Abroad program. It’s also a major center for international organizations and is ultimately where I see myself working after medical school,” noted Persad.
As for developing her writing and communication skills, Persad credits her work as an undergraduate student researcher (she won the Faculty of Science Dean’s Award at last week’s BC Undergraduate Research Conference for her poster on using bacteriophages against multiple drug resistant bacteria).
Persad also knows a thing or two about the UN. In the last two years, she has attended four Model UN Conferences in Zurich, Brussels, Paris and Moscow. Each conference—hosted in mock UN style—sees several hundred delegates debate assigned topics as a representative of an assigned country. Her presentation on Slovenia and International Security took top honors at the 800-delegate Paris conference.
Following a brief break this September, Persad will dive into her five-year medical-surgical program in the UK, which she will intersperse with further international opportunities.
“Next summer I hope to volunteer abroad in South America, and after that, complete an internship or two with the World Health Organization.”
For more information:
Emma Persad
emmapersad@gmail.com
