The Dream That Became Her Reality

On the bus, International Studies major Julia Williams ’26 looks out the window at the towering green mountains encompassing the clear blue waters of Lake Geneva. The quiet whispers of a foreign language surround her as she prepares for a day as an Internet Governance Forum (IGF) intern at the United Nations in Switzerland. 

Williams has always dreamed of working with the UN, and through her hard work and thanks to the support of her community at Trinity University, she’s made this dream her reality before graduating. 

Williams’ path to the UN began when she was conducting research on AI governance a year before her IGF position. In the spring of 2025, Williams was studying abroad in Geneva and wrote a paper on military AI that was selected for publication. 

“The internet affects all of our lives every single day, and being part of that mission means helping ensure there's a forum where every voice is valued and heard,” says Williams. 

While researching for this paper, Williams spoke with a member of the DiploFoundation, an organization focused on closing the digital divide and building capacity in emerging tech. Her passion for AI governance intrigued a member of the foundation, who offered her a summer fellowship.

After this fellowship ended, Williams was eager to continue her research on AI governance, so she reached out to DiploFoundation again in the fall of 2025, and they connected her with the IGF. 

Now, Williams is back in Geneva, designing social media posts, developing outlines for video campaigns, reviewing conference proposals, and helping prepare the IGF for its annual meeting in Nairobi. Through these tasks, Williams learns about how AI is discussed on a global and political scale, drawing on her interest in the development and deployment of AI systems in military and legal contexts. 

As a senior who is graduating in December, she views the internship as a major stepping stone for her post-graduate experience. It reinforced her commitment to AI governance and taught her how to navigate a large institution, build international networks, and communicate across stakeholder groups. 

Whilst she reflects on the Trinity experiences that guided her during this internship, Williams also credits the support of Trinity community members who made her participation possible. Williams’s UN internship is unpaid, and while it is an incredibly rewarding experience, she knew she would struggle to secure a visa, housing, transportation, and food without financial assistance. 

Knowing this, Williams went to one of her professors to ask for help with applying for financial relief. Political Science Professor Rosa Aloisi, Ph.D., assisted Williams in requesting monetary assistance from departments within the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities and the School of Social Science and Civic Engagement. 

Even with the help of these departments, Williams needed more financial aid. The Center for Experiential Learning and Career Success’s Find Your Direction Fund was the final piece in the puzzle, helping offset Williams’ financial burden.

“Without that support, this opportunity simply wouldn't have been possible for me,” says Williams. “Doing my internship abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” 

By doing her internship abroad, Williams is advancing her post-Trinity career both professionally and personally. She has been able to travel to France, Germany, and other surrounding countries. Within Switzerland, she has explored different summer markets and live music events. 

“More than anything,” she says, “this experience has given me confidence that the direction I've been working so hard toward is a worthwhile one.”