Internship Program
Bringing the World Closer to home
The United Nations Association of Rochester provides internship programs for college/university students and recent graduates who are passionate and have strong interest in global issues, international affairs and the United Nations mission. We accept interns on a rolling basis and year-round as long as the intern is an undergraduate (min Sophomore), graduate student (Masters, PhD or Post Doc), or students who have graduated in past 2 years.
Our interns have diverse backgrounds and their various interests include direct community involvement, fundraising, organizing events, web content development and newsletter publications. Our internship program grants the interns the opportunity to serve in various roles in support of our organization’s mission and to promote UN-related initiatives and programs.
Apply on Handshake- Open Positions
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Social Media Intern
Serve with UNAR as our Treasurer! View the full description in the application and submit with your cover letter and resume.
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Grants and Sponsorship Intern
Serve UNAR as our Communications Director focusing on our web and social media content. View the full description and submit with your cover letter and resume.
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Community Engagement
Serve UNAR as our Programs Chair. Focus on the development and implementation of our UN Day programming. View the full description and submit with your cover letter and resume.
Our Partners
UNAR is privileged to work with many non-profit organizations in our community allowing us to place our interns in positions that serve the Rochester area. We are grateful for all our partners that have made it possible over the years.
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Global Connnections
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Rochester Refugee Resettlment
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Rochester Education Foundation
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Cimate Solutions
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Angels of Mercy
Catholic Charities
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Rochester International Academy
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Saints Place
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Maplewood Library
• Global Connnections • Rochester Refugee Resettlment • Rochester Education Foundation • Cimate Solutions • Angels of Mercy Catholic Charities • Rochester International Academy • Saints Place • Maplewood Library
Meet the Interns
Learn about our current and past interns and their experiences working with the UNAR board and our community partners.
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Summer 2025-Present
My name is Roisin Meyer and I am pursuing a degree in International Relations and Economics at the University of Rochester. I am passionate about conflict resolution and global governance, and I plan on working at an intergovernmental or supranational organization in the future that facilitates diplomatic ties between nations and addresses worldwide challenges. For the past two years, I have worked as a research assistant for the University of Rochester’s Political Science Department, identifying and analyzing map border shifts in South America overtime. I have studied both French and German, and recently completed a study abroad program in Germany, which placed a heavy focus and study on the European Union. I am excited to make an impact through the United Nations Association Internship, to help promote the mission of the United Nations.
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Spring 2025
My name is Watini Gloria Murekatete, and I was born in Central Africa. Having lived in several countries, I am fluent in Kinyarwanda and Kiswahili, and I have a working proficiency in French and English. On August 20, 2014, I relocated to the United States and resettled in Rochester, New York.
In 2022, I earned an Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice and General Studies: Liberal Arts with a concentration in Political Science from Monroe Community College (MCC). I further pursued my academic journey and graduated in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy and Political Science from SUNY Brockport.
Currently, I am a graduate student at the University at Albany, pursuing a master’s degree in international Affairs at the School of Public Administration and Policy.
For the Spring semester, I have been approved for an internship with the United Nations Association of Rochester. This internship will be conducted in partnership with Rochester Refugee Resettlement Services, where I aim to gain practical, hands-on experience in the field of refugee resettlement and international affairs.
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Summer 2024Afnaan Qureshi was born in Boston, MA, and moved to Rochester, NY, after a gap year in Istanbul, TR. During his time in Turkey, Afnaan took courses toward certification as an olive oil sommelier to source olive oil for Zaazey. With a half-Pakistani and half-American background, Afnaan grew up in a diverse social climate while president of his youth group in high school, where Afnaan organized fundraisers for non-profits like Oxfam America, Helping Hand for Relief and Development, and Unity Productions Foundation at mosques and interfaith venues. One of the humanitarian projects Afnaan was involved in required travel to Jordan, where he filmed interviews with refugee families to report the efficacy of the donated funds/supplies. As a rising fourth year at Rochester Institute of Technology, double majoring in Philosophy and Political Science, Afnaan is applying for his Master’s in Public Administration at programs in his hometown of Boston.
This summer, Afnaan is interning with Rochester Refugee Resettlement Services(RRRS), where he is engaged in projects including, but not limited to, construction, case management, property management, creating resources for refugee families, and connecting RIT with RRRS to design a course for RIT’s Honors College, which he will be co-teaching this fall.
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Spring 2025
My name is Madeleine Jensen, and I am an undergraduate legal studies and international and global studies student at Nazareth University. I am taking courses in both the legal realm of writing and research, and the global realm of anthropology and international politics. After graduating in the fall of 2025, I am hoping to find work in a law firm or a humanitarian aid organization, and eventually apply to law schools.I am interning with Rochester Refugee Resettlement Services, where I am assisting with a variety of tasks- ranging from client intake to citizenship applications. In the short time I have spent in the program, I have already met so many wonderful people and learned so much about immigration law. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to study abroad, and continue my work in humanitarian law and immigration.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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Summer 2024Rylie worked in the UNAR office doing social media work and planning for this October’s UN Day in Rochester. She’s also worked with Rochester Global Connections helping organize a picnic for international students at Rochester colleges and universities.
Rylie is a junior at SUNY Brockport with a double major in social work and sociology double major.
Make an impact today
Donate to the United Nations Association of Rochester
Support our mission by contributing a donation. The United Nations Association of Rochester (UNAR), though a chapter of UNA-USA, is an independent 501(c)(3) registered in the US under EIN 22-2365160 and is responsible for securing its own funding.
Donate today to support our Internship, UN Day, and Model United Nations Conference programs that specific enrich the Rochester, New York area.
Contact Us
If you have questions about our internship program or you would like to team up with United Nations Association of Rochester (UNAR) as a community partner please fill out our contact form.