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Vaishnavi at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. for a conference

Vaishnavi with Ambassador Hugh Adsett at the Ad Hoc Expert Discussion on the Inter-American Action Plan on Democratic Governance

Vaishnavi at the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C.

Vaishnavi with an officer on horseback

Ever since she was little, Vaishnavi Goboodun has always had an interest in different cultures and ways of life. She initially started university as a psychology major but changed her mind a few times before she started to explore the realm of international business. 

Currently doing a bilingual bachelor of commerce in international business, Vaishnavi applied to expecting the typical internship experience — lots of administrative work and lending a helping hand here and there. By the end of her fellowship in Washington D.C., it had more than exceeded her expectations.

“I didn't think I would have the trust to be doing such work. So, I thought it was going to be mostly basic work, but I got to meet the CEO, to meet the people that I'm working with and I built a relationship and built that trust. It was beyond anything I could have ever expected or asked for. It built my confidence so much and empowered me to do a lot more.”

Vaishnavi’s time in D.C. gave her the chance to actually apply everything she had learned in her degree to the real world, and witness the difference her work makes in the world.

“One of the big parts was getting to listen to some of the important conversations that youth should be involved in politics, sustainability and governance. I think my day-to-day life wasn't really stagnant. It always changes. One day I would be having conferences in Congress and I would get to go to the World Bank or I would get to go to all these amazing conferences and learn so much about what is going on in the world.” 

She worked with people from all over the Americas, being a part of meetings where people logged in from multiple different time zones to share their perspectives and work together for a common goal. It was a place where ideas didn’t just float in theoretical space; they were nurtured and brought to life. 

“We would tackle issues anywhere from Lebanon’s liquidity crisis to anti-corruption and how it impacts each corner of the world.”

Another significant part of Vaishnavi’s work was hosting and moderating events that focused on advocating for youth across the Americas. 

“One of the highlights of my work was that I was asked to be a speaker for one of the events at the Canadian embassy in the U.S. and that's when I got to write a speech about the dissemination of false information in democratic elections.”

Her was published by the website, giving Vaishnavi a platform for her voice to be heard. As intimidating as writing and giving a speech was, the experience was well worth the nerves. 

Her internship, more than just a line on her resume, became the crucible in which her future would take shape. Now that her self-doubt has been diminished and she knows better than ever before the full extent of her capabilities, Vaishnavi has allowed herself to be ambitious. Without the fear of failure paralyzing her, she goes for what she wants, which is how she landed work at the Parliament this summer, and no doubt, has big plans for the future. 

“It's easy to beat yourself up at times when you look at others. But that’s the beautiful thing about exchange — you get to just leave that life and leave the person you are and you get to choose who you want to be.”