With the mail in her hands, Maria skimmed through today’s bundle of miscellaneous envelopes until noticing one that wasn’t an ordinary letter, it was an invitation. Unveiling the invitation, PPCHS junior Maria Benedek scanned the words on the paper, revealing that she had been invited to participate in a nine-day internship for International Relations and Diplomacy. With such an opportunity to explore her interest, Benedek rushed to register for the internship program that would lead Maria to her dream career.
Benedek’s internship occurred in DC at Georgetown and then in New York at Columbia University. The program allowed Maria to witness and “learn more about International Relations and understand economics better.” Throughout the internship, she learned the reality of the hazardous circumstances many countries worldwide suffer from and the dangers many civilians living in 3rd world countries must endure.
Maria loved the environment and it kept her busy throughout the internship, letting her and the other participants explore the area while teaching them lectures. When being educated on these global concepts, Maria realized that her interests were not in this section of international relations. However, this program revealed a new pathway to a different career that quickly had her invested in learning more. “I want to go into international business,” Maria said after her involvement in the program, and without being a part of the internship, she would’ve never known what career was actually for her.
Out of everything she got to do in Georgetown and Columbia, the most interesting part for Benedek was “connecting with so many people from all over the world.” Getting to traverse the colleges and meet people like herself, who are also intrigued by international relations and business, brought her the greatest enjoyment. By participating in these programs, Maria got to enter into the world of international business and even learn new things about herself by the end of it, all from a simple invitation that found its way into her mailbox.
As a junior, Benedek keeps her options available to where she wants to go for college, but Georgetown and Columbia remain high on her list to apply for when the time comes. “Georgetown is number two on my list right now, right behind Penn State, while Columbia is in my top ten,” she said. Visiting and walking through her potential colleges gave her a chance to see if the colleges would become her next home away from home. For now, she continues as a Jaguar until it becomes her year to toss her cap and travel into the international business career.
