Two bright young minds have joined the ICDS as interns. We are pleased to welcome William Runkel and Maka Kevlishvili! We sat for a chat with our newcomers to talk about their professional backgrounds and expectations about the internship.
William Runkel’s internship started in mid-January, with his research focused on Russia. William comes from the United States of America and he will be staying with us for at least two months. Pursuing a master’s degree, he studies at the University of Tartu and the University College London.
Maka Kevlishvili arrived from Georgia on a scholarship to study at the Estonian School of Diplomacy. Her internship started this week and will last till the end of June. With her experience in strategic communication at the Georgian Defence Ministry, Maka will be a valuable addition to our communications team.
“I am a dual-degree MA student studying International Relations at the University of Tartu Estonia, as well as Russian Foreign Policy at University College London. I am currently learning Russian and have a deep interest in Russian foreign policy. In particular, I am interested in what the resurgent Russian threat means for the future of Western states and Western-allied nations. My interest in this field has led me to live and work in Tbilisi and influenced my decision to write my MA thesis on Turkish-Abkhazian relations and the implications they have for Russia’s power projection in the Caucasus. After having completed my degrees, I plan to peruse a career at the U.S. State Department.”
“I have been studying International Relations and EU Integration at the Estonian School of Diplomacy since October 2022. Now, I’m excited to work as an intern at the ICDS. I see it as a brilliant opportunity to collaborate with accomplished researchers at Estonia’s top think tank. Through my academic journey, I received a BA in Journalism and a MA in Sociology. I also completed a program in National Security and Public Policy by the U.S. Government and a specialised training course in Strategic Communications. With that foundation and my seven years of work experience, I am confident I can keep up with my studies and pursue new career goals. I have recently received a scholarship to study strategic communications at King’s College London through the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office and the Department of War Studies project.”
