Baruch College Graduate Student Interned at the United Nations Global Compact
September 8, 2022
Baruch College graduate student Josh Solomowitz (’23) received the prestigious Harold W. Rosenthal Fellowship in International Relations and recently completed a three-month internship at the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), which focuses on corporate commitments to sustainability initiatives.
Solomowitz is pursuing a Master of International Affairs with a special concentration in global governance and environmental sustainability at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. He returned to Baruch for his master’s degree in 2020 after graduating from Macaulay Honors College at Baruch with a BBA in International Business in 2017.
“My reasons for applying to the fellowship were to become part of a competitive cohort of other graduate students studying international affairs, learn more about the public service sector, and have a valuable internship experience in sustainability reporting as I continue my career pivot,” says Solomowitz, who is part of a class of Fellows coming from such schools as Columbia, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Princeton.
At the UNGC, Solomowitz joined the Communication on Progress team, which is responsible for collecting information from stakeholders regarding governance, anti-corruption, environment, labor, and human rights.
“Interning at the UN has given me a fresh perspective on accountability and the value of self-reported sustainability data. It was great to feel like I was making a positive impact and contributing to the UNGC’s mission,” explains Solomowitz.
He adds, “Most of my professional experience has been in financial services with an internship last year with the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Rosenthal fellowship gave me the opportunity to try something new and gave me a greater appreciation for public service. I see myself working in sustainability consulting or corporate ESG in the future, though there’s always the potential for public service too, especially after the fellowship. I am grateful for the experience and for all that I’ve learned this summer.”
About the Rosenthal Fellowship
The program was established in 1977 to honor the memory of Harold Rosenthal, a Senate staff member who was a victim of a terrorist act while on official duty at age 29. The Fellowship provides a select number of students with summer funding and work opportunities at a federal government agency to solve some of the biggest national and global challenges. Fellows are selected based on their academic achievements, commitment to the study of international affairs, extracurricular experience, and demonstrated interest in public service.
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