NEWS

This past summer, Ibtihal Gassem became the first sophomore and second ever Lehigh student to intern at a United Nations Mission - the other intern was a senior.

Gassem learned about the opportunity to intern with the Costa Rican Mission through a diplomatic visit arranged by Lehigh’s UN Partnership. During a visit to the UN, she connected with officials from the Costa Rican Mission, including Minister Counselor Daniel Zavala Poras, a diplomat who introduced her to Costa Rica’s role in sustainability and climate action. “Costa Rica has a big influence in terms of sustainability and gender equality, even though it’s a small country,” Gassem says. She built on that initial connection, networking with UN interns and diplomats to eventually secure the internship.

Gassem worked closely with Legal Adviser Gustavo Adolfo Ramírez Baca, a diplomat in Costa Rica’s Sixth Committee, which focuses on legal matters. “I assisted Mr. Baca throughout the summer, attending an extremely wide range of meetings,” Gassem explains. These meetings spanned Security Council discussions on Ukraine and Russia, Palestine andIsrael, Sudan, and conflicts in the Middle East, as well as the International Criminal Court, ECOSOC, and General Assembly sessions on topics like sustainable development and the SDGs, hate speech, and international law. "I also attended high-level meetings and side events, which I really enjoyed," she said.

Her role included taking notes, writing reports, and briefing her supervisors on the outcomes of these meetings. These reports were then sent back to the Costa Rican capital of San José to keep officials updated on UN developments.

One of Gassem’s proudest moments was contributing to a speech on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), a global commitment to prevent atrocities. Her work on R2P aligned with her passion for human rights, an area she hopes to pursue in her career. She also wrote speeches for Ambassador Maritza Chan-Valverde on the Rule of Law.

Gassem embraced the challenges of her internship. "It was a busy environment, with a lot to balance between attending meetings and conducting research on topics like General Assembly reforms, international terrorism, Crimes against Humanity, and sea level rise," she recalls. Given the small size of Costa Rica’s Mission, Gassem took on multiple responsibilities, assisting several diplomats at once and staying on top of a wide range of critical issues.

One unexpected challenge was navigating the technical language and frequent use of abbreviations in diplomatic meetings. "Sometimes I didn’t understand the acronyms, but I had to quickly catch up, especially when writing reports," she says. This often required additional research to understand Costa Rica’s stance and the broader international context on topics she wasn’t initially familiar with, like the Law of the Sea and microbial resistance.

When asked about the skills she gained from her internship, Gassem highlights the importance of networking and observing how countries interact within the UN. "I learned a lot about how diplomats speak and negotiate, and I began to notice patterns in their discussions," she explains. "Topics like gender equality, women’s rights, and youth involvement were frequently mentioned, but they often felt more like buzzwords than genuine concerns." Gassem also observed a disconnect between public discourse and the UN’s operations. "I felt that civil society involvement was sometimes tokenized, with NGOs being brought in as more of an afterthought," she adds.

Gassem didn’t expect to find herself interning at the United Nations Mission of Costa Rica when she entered college. Initially set on a pre-med track, Gassem’s path took an unexpected turn as she shifted her focus from health sciences to global politics. “I realized that community and global health wasn’t for me, and I became more interested in health policy and, ultimately, international relations and political science,” she explains.

Through coursework and exposure to global issues, Gassem’s curiosity about the UN grew. Learning about the Sustainable Development Goals in middle school and later through Lehigh University’s  United Nations Partnership solidified her interest in global diplomacy. “I didn’t know much about the UN except for the SDGs, but Lehigh’s Partnership helped me understand the larger picture of what the UN does,” she says.

Gassem encourages other Lehigh students interested in international relations to seek out similar opportunities. “Building relationships and showing genuine interest is crucial,” she advises. “Diplomats are extremely busy, but if you take the initiative to engage—whether it's through asking questions during Q&A sessions or showing your passion in conversations—you’ll build trust and open doors. That foundation of interest is what can lead to opportunities down the line.”

She’s eager to continue pursuing her passion for human rights and global policy, with hopes that her journey will inspire other students to follow a similar path.