I attended the AMP Global Scholar Program this past summer, and it was a great experience. I found the atmosphere to be very open and relaxing. Initially I applied because I felt I was interested in the field of international relations and wanted to learn more. I chose this program mainly because of its location in DC, which looking back was a wonderful choice because we got so much out of the city and we visited so many places that could only be visited there. We even got to speak to our Senators, which was an absolutely thrilling experience!
I feel that the community at AMP made the experience that much better. Vanessa warmly welcomed me on the first day, which made me excited for the two weeks to come. They were very supportive with me when I had some dietary issues and really accommodated me! I really appreciated this and it allowed me to live there without worrying about such things. Overall the staff was very kind, relaxed, and accommodating of us.
Something that I feel made this camp unique was Vanessa’s Action Lab workshops. Rather than drilling a bunch of textbook knowledge into us, we learned actual skills and were able to build our mindsets and understanding of others. These workshops made me see the world around me so differently, and I know for a fact I still use the skills I gained there, especially in the Diversity Lab. Only now have I seen how valuable this truly was. It made me glad I chose this program because the learning experience really stood in such stark contrast to the education I get at school, and I felt like it was a breath of fresh air. The projects we did were actually fun, especially the final project in reaching and speaking with our Senators/representatives.
The people I met at camp were the biggest reason I had so much fun. There were students from all over the United States and from various countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America. This expanded my knowledge and understanding of other people who are different from me, and allowed me to see beyond my own community in my town. The other students were all intelligent people who contributed meaningful things, and I learned things from them that I had never seen before. I learned to see beyond their surface, and even today I am amazed by the things that some of these people have gone through, which have opened my eyes to the realities of the world that I don’t necessarily get to see in other settings. It was easy to make friends at this program, and I made many close friends there who I still remain in contact with and would consider some of my best friends even today. We had many discussions in the programs directed by Vanessa and Karen and I found this sentiment to be infectious among me and my friends. These discussions sparked more discussions among us where we were able to talk about things we otherwise never discuss, and best of all, we were interested in it.
All of these experiences from camp have really helped me learn in ways that I feel are more conducive to students that traditional academic learning styles. I am really grateful for the places we got to visit as well. We even had a meeting with the Ambassador of Niger to the US, where we learned about different issues affecting Niger. Another really valuable part of camp was the International Affairs career panel. I was amazed to see a South Asian woman on the panel, who I felt like I could really relate to. Overall all the speakers on that panel were very insightful and offered great advice on finding your path to different careers in the very broad field of IA and how you can determine what types of jobs you would be most suited for.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this program to anyone interested in International Affairs. It will really give you valuable insight and a new perspective. I am so glad I attended this summer and I miss those days often.
Hello FlowerSun: Thank you for this incredible review and feedback on the program. We put so much deep thought into structuring this experience, and are so gratified to know that it had such a deep impact on you.
We agree that the Scholars are fascinating, curious, inspiring and often friends for life. That includes you of course! And are really pleased to know you enjoyed the speakers and were moved by the Action Lab workshops.
Please keep doing all of the amazing things you surely already are, and stay in touch. We can’t wait to see all of the places you’ll go!
- Karen