A unique and wonderful experience — that’s what I had this summer [2019]. I had the opportunity to work with Trickle Up, a global non-governmental organization that aims to empower those living in extreme poverty, with a program called Graduation. This program helps people take a series of steps on the path towards greater economic self-sufficiency. While not diving into much detail here, the graduation approach, which we implemented in primarily developing countries, is something I feel aligns very well with the philosophies and methodologies taught in many International Agriculture and Rural Development (IARD) classes, particularly those with the rural and economic development aspect of the major. It was incredibly interesting to see what had originally been class-bound concepts come to life. I deeply appreciated this opportunity to apply the concepts I learned in class to the real world.
Yet, this internship allowed me to do more than just apply concepts: it taught me new skills and the chance to learn something new every day. One such skill was data analysis; I had no idea how to do it. But I had an amazing mentor, Shanti Kumar ‘17, an IARD graduate herself. Shanti sat down with me for a whole day and together we figured out how and what exactly I had to do. She was the reason I found this internship. During a class in the IARD senior seminar, there was a panel of recent graduates, Shanti among them. She was already working with Trickle Up at that time and I reached out to her after the panel session and expressed my interest in interning with the NGO, as I felt it aligned with my own professional goals and interests. It was really wonderful to have a mentor who I could discuss Cornell and IARD with, and who actually got it. We bonded over how we had the same concentration, and how we took the same classes.
While working with people like Shanti was truly a highlight, this internship also gave me the opportunity to solidify my future career goals, and I am now sure I would like to focus on consulting in the public sector. If I were to leave any words of advice with my fellow IARD peers, it would be to reach out to older IARD students and alumni. Each IARD student has such wonderful and unique experiences to share. Moreover, there are multiple opportunities to be engaged and to learn more about yourself and the culture you live in. Be mindful. Be passionate. And be fearless. This is the right time for you to take that leap of faith and discover your true self.
