During her last year of graduate school at John Jay College, Erica O’Sullivan ’22 wanted to find an opportunity to serve others and experience something life-changing, but she worried about finding such an experience in the midst of a pandemic. While studying to earn her master’s degree in Emergency Management, and with the help of the International Studies & Study Abroad Programs, O’Sullivan found the perfect virtual internship based in Africa. “I’ve always believed in justice since I was old enough to know the difference between right and wrong—that’s what made me decide to come to John Jay, I knew that it could give me the resources to be part of the change I wanted to see in the world,” says the New York City native. “I wanted to end my year with a bang, and due to my 3.9 G.P.A., I was awarded the Graduate Studies Virtual Internship in Cameroon focusing on women’s rights and resilience in conflict situations. My only real concern was if I was going to get the same experience remotely as I would if I was there in person.” We connected with O’Sullivan to learn how her international virtual internship changed her life, perspective, and journey.
“I had to think deeply about how I approached people and presented materials so that it made sense in their cultural context.” —Erica O’Sullivan
What was it like interning virtually in an international setting?
During this internship, I had the honor of working with a Non-profit Organization called Leap Girl Africa (LGA). LGA’s main goal is to reduce the gender inequality gap through the elimination of gender-based violence by advancing women’s rights and providing them with life skills. The hope is to improve their lives through education and economic empowerment. Being in an international internship can present some challenges because there are cultural differences that you have to be mindful of. Throughout the experience, I had to think deeply about how I approached people and presented materials so that it made sense in their cultural context. It was an experience that was very rewarding and eye-opening for me.
At times, the remote aspect of the internship was a challenge because it’s hard to immerse yourself in an organization without being there in person. However, because of that challenge, I found myself being more attentive in meetings and leveraging technology to communicate with the team. You can always find ways to make an opportunity meaningful and learn new things throughout an experience. I can now see how I can be more fluid in my career and connect to any organization around the world.
“I can now see how I can be more fluid in my career and connect to any organization around the world.” —Erica O’Sullivan
How did the experience impact you?
It was heartbreaking and tough to hear the testimonies and stories of so many victims and survivors, but learning how they were able to recover and reintegrate into society with the aid of psycho-socialist, lawyers, and counselors, I was inspired to take my own leap and do more in my community. I went around emailing different organizations to help support and fund LGA, and I realized that I would have a louder voice if I was a part of one of these organizations. This led to me joining the American Red Cross, and now I’m an active volunteer in this organization.
What experience or lesson stayed with you the most from your virtual international internship?
The majority of the women I worked with were impacted by displacement, separation from family, no access to education due to school closure, and even rape. One of them cited murder as a major concern because another woman was beheaded because she was associated with a Cameroon soldier. Violence is an effective tactic used by the government to repress citizens in Cameroon.
“The majority of the women I worked with were impacted by displacement, separation from family, no access to education due to school closure, and even rape.” —Erica O’Sullivan
Some similarities I noticed between the U.S. and Cameroon included: gender inequality, social unrest, racial or tribalism history, inequality in school systems, violent extremist groups, censorship of information, and overall systematic inequality in law enforcement and justice systems.
What was inspiring for me to witness was that women still formed protests, strikes, organized community initiatives—like the Southern Cameroons Women’s Movement—while continuing to focus on health. One woman stated, “The silver lining of experiencing this crisis is now I’m enlightened and well-read, I did research about my country’s history.” I had asked the girls where they find their strength, to which they answered, “God, who gives us hope every day for a better tomorrow and a way out.” Our mission was clear: In offering these women the right knowledge; helping them influence policies; and empowering them to fight for gender equality; they could form responses that helped their communities and possibly take over leadership.
Where do you see yourself in the next five or 10 years?
Currently, I’m a Career Advancement Intern at The Fortune Society. Through innovative services and advocacy, I have the opportunity to help those who are struggling with justice involvement as well as rebuilding their lives after being incarcerated. In addition to my non-profit work at The Fortune Society, I have just obtained my official Red Cross badge and started volunteering as a Blood Ambassador. My next step is to become a youth counselor and learn valuable lessons in how to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, provide relief for struggling families, and create positive changes in the community starting with children who will end up becoming the leaders of tomorrow.
