Connecting Academic Insights with Political Transformation
The International Internship Program (IIP) at Princeton University offers students the opportunity to gain valuable international work experience, as demonstrated by Mai Kasemsawade's inspiring journey.
Mai Kasemsawade, a student at Princeton University from Bangkok, Thailand, spent her summer interning at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her internship was supported by the IIP, an initiative run by the Office of International Programs at Princeton University.
During her time at IDEAS, Mai gained hands-on research skills, including extracting budgetary data, writing policy papers, and preparing stakeholder engagements. Her research project focused on comparing political financing regulations from different countries to advance Malaysia's laws on funding for political parties.
Mai's research has been used to support a bill proposal to the Malaysian parliamentary subcommittee, demonstrating the impact that students can have through the IIP. In addition, she wrote an op-ed article on Thailand's Electrical Vehicle (EV) policy, which was published on Malaysia Business Today.
The IIP offers research opportunities in a variety of disciplines, making it an ideal platform for students to explore their academic and career interests. It is encouraged to connect with an IIP adviser and an IIP ambassador to learn more about the student experience.
Students interested in summer research opportunities through the International Internship Program should: 1. Visit Princeton’s Office of International Programs website or attend its events, such as the Study Abroad Fair, to explore and discuss options with advisers. 2. Look into affiliated internship programs such as Princeton in Asia or Princeton in Africa for specialized summer internships. 3. Use the resources and guidance offered by the IIP to identify programs aligned with their academic and career interests.
Registration for an information session for the IIP summer of 2024 will be available in October. The IIP hosts hundreds of research opportunities every summer for current first-years through juniors, providing students with the chance to transform their lives, just as Mai Kasemsawade has done.
For more information, read "Thinking About Doing a Research Internship Next Summer? Start Your Search Here!" to learn more about the opportunities available through the IIP.
- Mai Kasemsawade's educational and self-development journey at Princeton University, as demonstrated by her internship with IDEAS, involved gaining and utilizing her research skills for personal growth, participating in learning opportunities such as extracting budgetary data, writing policy papers, and preparing stakeholder engagements.
- The International Internship Program (IIP) encourages students to enhance their learning, personal growth, and education-and-self-development by providing summer research opportunities in various disciplines, offering the potential to Transform their lives, just as Mai Kasemsawade demonstrated through her internship.
