I participated in the MUNCEP program and interned at the East West Center as part of their
Young Professionals Program. During my program, I was able to forge many meaningful
relationships, expand my knowledge of American politics, improve my writing skills, and
expand my connections.
One thing that I did not expect was to make lifelong friends. I thought of all the learning parts
and making connections, but not lifelong friendships. From bringing my friends to the
Mongolian Naadam to visiting their national cuisine restaurants, I was able to bond with some of
my fellows from USAI. Also, from awkward silence to constant morning chit-chats, I built great
friendships with my colleagues who are from various backgrounds. These experiences reminded
me that life has so much more to offer than just what I do at work.
The USAI Institute, the Young Professionals Program at the East West Center, and the city itself
have educated me so much about American and international politics. I had the chance to attend
events at the great think tanks—CSIS and The Hudson Institute—that I used to read about
online, visit Congressional offices, and meet many amazing people who were willing to help.
In terms of skills, it was a great learning curve for me to write articles and articulate my thoughts
into words. Thanks to my peers and supervisors at the East West Center, I am confident that I
was able to develop my writing and research skills. That was my biggest goal for the summer.
I have written five articles on the following topics:
-Mongolians in the United States Vote for Their Next Government
-Bipartisan Congressional Delegation Visits the Dalai Lama
-A Collaborative Conservation Effort by The Nature Conservancy, a Non-profit Headquartered in
-Virginia, and the Mongolian Government
-The United States and China Educational Exchange: Schwartzman Scholars Program Seeks Its 10th Cohort This Year
-Sushi and Slurpees: 7-Eleven Turns to Japanese Convenience Store Business Model in an Effort to Revamp Franchises in North America and Beyond
This blog is a part of a series of reflections from recipients of the Career Services Summer Stipend. We’ve asked recipients to reflect on what they participated in over the summer. To read the rest of the series, you can find them here.
