UNA-USA Announces Financial Support for UN Internships, Expanding Opportunities for U.S. Students
WASHINGTON D.C., October 24, 2022: The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is pleased to announce a first-of-its-kind initiative providing financial support for American undergraduate interns at the United Nations.
The $500k program will be supported through contributions from inaugural partners including the Eleanor Crook Foundation and Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative of Eric and Wendy Schmidt that bets early on exceptional people, and looks for hidden brilliance around the world to solve the hardest problems in science and society.
The initiative was announced by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, on UN Day, October 24th at a luncheon honoring the work of UNA-USA chapters across the country. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield emphasized that internships lead to opportunities.
“We need a diverse pipeline of leaders who look like America and understand the UN inside out,” she said. “When I was a student, I was not able to afford a UN internship. Now, thanks to this scholarship, Americans who come from backgrounds like mine can.”
The program will support 50 interns over the next three years, who are selected by the United Nations (UN), and will then apply for this scholarship through UNA-USA. Consideration will be given to American students from colleges and universities that have been underrepresented in the past, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
“We are pleased to support this critical effort to provide students with paid internships at the United Nations, making it possible for more young people to work in public service,” said Eric Braverman, CEO of Schmidt Futures. “Too many extraordinary people are not seen, not found, or simply not part of a system designed to find them. We believe that exceptional people working together can solve any problem the world faces – and to do so well we need everyone at the table.”
The program is expected to cultivate a new generation of Americans interested in working for the United Nations and other global agencies.
“For too long, the field of global development has failed to reflect the diversity of culture, experiences, and viewpoints that exist in society,” said William Moore, CEO of the Eleanor Crook Foundation. “We are proud to invest in developing a robust pipeline of leaders who will bring their wisdom and creativity to the task of addressing the complex challenges affecting us all.
“Making internships available to a wider student population encourages new perspectives and fresh ideas,” said Rachel Bowen Pittman, UNA-USA’s Executive Director. “It’s good for the students, it’s good for the U.S. government and it’s good for the UN.”
About UNA-USA
The United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) is a movement of Americans dedicated to supporting the United Nations. With over 20,000 members (60% under the age of 26) and more than 225 chapters across the country, UNA-USA members are united in their commitment to global engagement and their belief that each of us can play a part in advancing the UN’s mission and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
About Schmidt Futures
Schmidt Futures bets early on exceptional people making the world better. Founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, Schmidt Futures is a philanthropic initiative that brings talented people together in networks to prove out their ideas and solve hard problems in science and society. To learn more about our method and the diverse types of capital and tools that we deploy, visit https://www.schmidtfutures.com
About the Eleanor Crook Foundation
The Eleanor Crook Foundation is a U.S. philanthropy fighting to end global malnutrition through research, policy analysis, and advocacy. For 25 years, the Foundation has worked to scale improved solutions to child malnutrition with the ultimate goal of saving children’s lives and enabling them to excel in school, work, and beyond.
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Media Contact for UNA-USA: Kathryn Kross, kkross@unfoundation.org 202-862-8577
Media Contact for Schmidt Futures: Caroline Hartman, chartman@schmidtfutures.com
Media Contact for the Eleanor Crook Foundation: Jennifer Friedlin, jfriedlin@eleanorcrookfoundation.org 917-863-6270
