Six psychology graduate students have stepped out of their classrooms and into the United Nations this fall for hands-on lessons on global policy, thanks to an APA-U.N. internship program. Now in its sixth year, the program allows psychology graduate students from the New York City area to learn the inner workings of the United Nations and to spread awareness about the importance of global mental health through their research.
On any given day, interns network with psychology's global leaders, hear ambassadors and diplomats speak and gain a deeper understanding of the issues they are studying, says Janet Sigal, PhD, APA's main representative to the United Nations.
"Our interns are exposed to issues they may have thought about before, but they come away understanding more of the importance of how it affects people all over the world," she says.
Each intern is assigned to a U.N. committee — such as those on migration, children's welfare and family — to help gather research findings for psychologist committee members. Interns also get the opportunity to present their own research. In March, for example, graduate student Noor Baker, of Teachers College Columbia University, presented her research on the mental health of Syrian refugees during the 59th U.N. Commission on the Status of Women.
"That experience was personally important to me as a Syrian immigrant with relatives living under attack in Syria," says Baker. "My internship was the highlight of my master's program."
Interns are welcome to attend any open talks or events at the U.N. That's part of what makes the experience so remarkable, says 2014–15 intern Roxane Caires, who graduated from the applied psychology master's program at New York University in May. "Rather than having us make copies or do busy work, we were invited to listen, learn and engage," she says. "It is important to seek out the opportunities available... You will get out as much as you put into it."
Interns also help plan Psychology Day at the United Nations, the event that APA and other groups hold each April that showcases how psychological research and interventions can promote global health and education. (For a report on the 2015 Psychology Day, see the July/August Monitor.)
Interns must be in a master's- or doctoral-level psychology program in the New York City area and have a strong interest in global mental health, says Sigal. Candidates should also be available every Thursday to attend meetings at U.N. headquarters.
The 2015–16 interns, who began their work in September, are:
- Mahathi Kosuri of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
- Emnet Gammada of the City University of New York.
- Amanda Persaud of Fairleigh Dickinson University.
- Lianna Rubowitz of New York University.
- Rebbia Shahab of Columbia University.
- Amrita Rathi of Columbia University.
The APA-NGO representatives will be accepting applications for the 2016–17 internship class in February. For more information, contact Janet Sigal, PhD.
— Jamie Chamberlin
