I had the unique opportunity to visit the Embassy of Lithuania, where I gained firsthand insight into the role of diplomacy in fostering strong relationships between Lithuania and the United States.

The embassy serves as a center for international collaboration, partnering with countries and global organizations to address pressing issues such as poverty, gender inequality, and climate change. Through this visit, I learned how diplomats engage in meaningful dialogue and policy development to create sustainable, people-focused solutions.

Officials from the Embassy of Lithuania shared how they collaborate with local communities to identify needs and implement programs that empower individuals and strengthen long-term development. This commitment to community-driven impact inspired my team and me as we worked to develop our own business proposal focused on creating lasting change.

During the career mentoring panel, I had the opportunity to learn from professionals with diverse experiences across higher education, athletics, business, and entrepreneurship. Andrii Marchak and Anthony Annan shared insights from their careers and experiences at Georgetown University, while Scott Rezendes discussed his professional journey and work with the Soccer Syndicate. Together, their different backgrounds provided valuable perspectives on navigating career opportunities, developing professional skills, and building meaningful relationships.

Throughout the panel, we were able to ask questions about networking, career planning, leadership, professional growth, and finding opportunities in competitive industries. The panelists discussed their own career paths, the decisions and experiences that shaped their professional development, and strategies for building strong networks and making lasting professional connections.

This experience broadened my understanding of the many different paths a successful career can take. Hearing directly from professionals across different fields encouraged me to think more intentionally about my own goals and reinforced the importance of communication, adaptability, networking, and taking advantage of opportunities throughout my education and future career.

Throughout the internship, our team had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with leading experts in business and economic development from Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. State Department, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
One of the highlights was a session with Carla Brooks, Business and Development Officer at the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.

My team also worked directly with a personal mentor. Our mentor provided us with career insights, project support, and feedback for our business ideas. The meetings we had throughout the week with our mentor provided critical insights from the initial business ideation phase through our project presentation.

With support from Ms. Brooks and other global leaders, including Eric Rosenstein, we refined our ideas, strengthened our strategy, and developed a powerful and polished pitch deck to present at the end of the week. Their guidance helped us take our business proposal to the next level, creating a plan designed not only to launch a venture, but to transform our business partner’s future.