Sabryna Raymond
St. Thomas Law affords our students unique opportunities to complete transformative internships and clinics. Through the clinical program, our students begin the transition from student to practitioner as they are provided with individual, personalized expertise and hands-on legal experience under the supervision of our clinical faculty. The prestigious United Nations Internship in New York is highly sought-after and, each semester, St. Thomas Law offers an exceptional second or third-year law student this opportunity. Sabryna Raymond just completed her experience at the U.N. after being selected by Professor Mark Wolff, Founder and Director of the United Nations Internship program.
Sabryna was assigned to the Order of Malta Permanent Mission to the U.N. The Order of Malta is a 1200-year-old sovereign humanitarian organization dedicated to providing support to the forgotten, vulnerable and marginalized members of society. She attended meetings on behalf of the organization, often witnessing speeches given by heads of state regarding issues affecting the world community. Her day would begin at the mission where the interns and their teams convened to discuss the day’s schedule. Although each intern is assigned to a specific committee, she was permitted to attend other meetings and side events throughout the day.
“Attending the meetings of the Security Council was an opportunity to personally witness history in the making,” stated Sabryna. “It was a transformative personal and educational experience.”
Before beginning her internship, she did not have an extensive knowledge about the global multilateral organization and felt some concern about that lack of experience. However, after her first few weeks of attending meetings, and through conversations with the Ambassadors and delegation members, her fears were assuaged. She learned about the structure of the U.N. and the procedural process for many of its sessions. The Ambassador encouraged her to attend multiple meetings in the General Assembly and explained political issues that were not immediately evident. As a result, it truly made Sabryna’s transition into the U.N. much smoother.
“One of the most interesting aspects of my internship was attending the Security Council meetings. The meetings were often filled with veiled accusations, threats of sanctions, as well as pleas for peace. They were always quite interesting and provided me with deeper insight into the political and humanitarian situation in areas such as Palestine, Syria and Somalia.”
– Sabryna Raymond
Because the U.N. is so multicultural, Sabryna had the pleasure of meeting individuals from all over the world who exposed her to ideas and worldviews that were foreign to her before.
“I highly recommend it to those with an interest in international law and diplomacy,” she added. “It is a unique opportunity for students to get a first-hand experience at the U.N., as both an observer and participant.”
