Building Skills and Making a Difference: A Columbia Student's Internship Experience at the Nairobi Center

The Nairobi Center is pleased to spotlight the incredible internship experience of Columbia student Anezka Marwa, GS'25. Marwa reflects on her internship at the Nairobi Center, where she engaged in various projects that allowed her to apply her academic background in English, Comparative Literature, and Political Science to real-world challenges. She also developed key skills in strategic communications, visual marketing, and research, which have been instrumental in shaping their professional growth in public relations and communications.

Tell us more about yourself and your educational background. Why were you interested in this internship opportunity?

I am a rising senior in the Columbia University and Trinity College Dublin Dual BA Program, majoring in English & Comparative Literature with a minor in Political Science. My academic journey at Columbia has fostered a deep appreciation for the intersection of literature and international affairs, inspiring me to explore how these disciplines converge in addressing contemporary events. I was interested in this internship opportunity because I was keen to expand my knowledge of communications strategies and the tools used to measure their success. Additionally, I was eager to support and document the impactful projects that CGC | Nairobi is involved in. 

During your time at the Nairobi Center, were there any specific skills or knowledge areas you were able to develop through your internship experience?

While at CGC | Nairobi, I developed several key skills and knowledge areas that have been invaluable to my growth. One of the most significant skills I honed was communication, especially through creating an informative video campaign for the center. This project required me to understand the center's diverse initiatives in health, climate, refugee affairs, migration, education, and the liberal arts and effectively communicate these to a broader audience.

I also developed my visual marketing skills and learned how to engage and grow a global audience effectively. I achieved this by creating social media graphics with Canva, drafting engaging captions for the center's Instagram and LinkedIn pages, and using Mailchimp to design and analyze newsletters. 

Finally, I also developed my research skills by thoroughly researching and compiling a list of Columbia University professors for a webinar series on the Salim Ahmed Salim Digital Archive. This task involved delving into topics such as leadership, governance, access to information, and digital innovation, which greatly expanded my knowledge in these areas.

What were the most rewarding tasks or projects you worked on?

I found two projects particularly rewarding.

Firstly, I authored a research article on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) for the center's website. This experience was fulfilling because it involved synthesizing insights from a webinar with medical experts into an accessible format, which helped raise awareness about a crucial public health issue.

The second project involved composing an article on governance, inspired by the first part of the Salim Ahmed Salim webinar series titled "Enhancing Good Governance Practice for Sustainable Development." Using this webinar as a foundation, my article explored the significance of youth empowerment and integrity in combating corruption in Africa. This piece was particularly meaningful to me because it merged my interests in politics and writing while also contributing to important discourse on effective development in Africa.

In what ways do you believe this internship experience will contribute to your professional growth?

I developed several skills that will benefit my professional growth in Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, and related fields.

One skill I developed was strategic content development. Crafting engaging content for the center's social media pages and measuring its impact using Mailchimp helped me learn how to tailor messages for different audiences effectively. This ability to create targeted content is essential in PR and Communications, where aligning messages with the goals and values of specific clients is key to enhancing their public image.

I also gained valuable experience in stakeholder engagement. Interacting with university professors and experts while planning and executing the webinar series taught me how to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders. This skill is vital in PR and Communications, where fostering connections and ensuring clear communication with various parties can promote an agency's reputation.

I also had the opportunity to improve my data management skills by inputting 100 names and email addresses of individuals interested in receiving newsletters from CGC into an Excel spreadsheet. I then used Mailchimp to add this contact information to the center's database. This experience will be valuable for managing and updating contact lists, a crucial skill for maintaining effective communication with the numerous clients PR agencies closely work with. 

Finally, my writing and editing work has also been rewarding. Crafting articles on topics such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and governance strategies in Africa has refined my ability to produce clear, accurate, and persuasive content, which will prove invaluable in creating impactful messages for diverse clients in the PR and Communications industry. 

Would you recommend this internship to other Columbia students?

I highly recommend this internship to other Columbia students. This internship at CGC | Nairobi allowed me to apply the academic knowledge I gained at Columbia in a real-world setting. The opportunity to work on diverse and meaningful projects and gain a deeper understanding of Columbia's initiatives and their involvement in another region of the world made this experience immensely rewarding and unforgettable. 

Are there any last thoughts you'd like to share?

I'm truly grateful for the experience and the skills I developed. I especially want to thank Sandra and Pauline for making this internship so memorable. Looking ahead, I'm eager to remain involved with Columbia-affiliated initiatives and attend the annual Columbia University send-offs for East African students at CGC | Nairobi when I return to Kenya.