this one's gonna be tough because it's long but please make it as concise as possible while including as many of the personal growth parts as you can: This internship was a transformative experience that has driven both personal and professional growth. Academically, I expanded my knowledge of immigration law, comparative policy analysis, and legal frameworks in Chile and globally. I learned to evaluate not just what laws say, but how they’re implemented, who they affect, and where they fall short — insight that deepened my critical thinking and policy literacy. Professionally, I grew into a more confident communicator and problem-solver. Coordinating an international conference with over 100 speakers taught me how to manage large-scale logistics, troubleshoot issues in real time, and communicate clearly under pressure. I learned to balance meticulous planning with flexibility, especially when dealing with last-minute changes or unexpected needs from speakers. Personally, the most profound growth came from interacting directly with migrants. Reading their testimonies and hearing their voices humanized the policy work I was doing. It reminded me that behind every visa category or border policy are real people with complex, often painful stories. This fostered a deeper sense of empathy and purpose in my work. Finally, I left the internship with a stronger sense of professional direction. I now know that I want to contribute to human-centered policymaking, particularly in migration or human rights. The confidence, clarity, and competence I developed at SJM will shape how I approach future challenges and opportunities in my career.
This internship was deeply transformative, strengthening my academic, professional, and personal growth. I developed critical thinking and policy literacy by analyzing immigration laws in practice, gained confidence managing complex logistics and communicating under pressure, and learned to balance structure with flexibility. Most importantly, working directly with migrants humanized the policy work for me, deepening my empathy and clarifying my commitment to human-centered policymaking in the areas of migration and human rights.