In today’s job market, career readiness sets AUC apart from other institutions as students achieve impactful internships. News@AUC spoke to two undergraduates who are kick-starting their careers by completing internships alongside their studies.
Not only did my major support my internship, but the internship supported my major — I discovered how much I love public history!
From attending international conferences related to social issues such as female genital mutilation to helping in workshops that create business opportunities for families from Luxor, Maha Muehlhaeusler said of her internship at the National Council for Women (NCW) “My role was to try all roles.”
Muehlhaeusler is a graduating senior double majoring in history and English and comparative literature. Her most notable internships were for the NCW and the Museum of Islamic Arts in Cairo.
“At NCW, I had the honor of working alongside Dr. Maya Morsi’s right-hand team,” shared Muehlhaeusler, who created social media content and raised awareness about laws that protect women in the complaints department.
“Watching women’s faces light up after seeing their crafts displayed in the Grand Egyptian Museum made me aware of what personal success means to individuals.”
At the Museum of Islamic Arts, Muehlhaeusler learned how museums function: “There’s a lot more to it than being a tour guide.” Muehlhaeusler was trained in administrative divisions, marketing, exhibition set-up and organizing workshops for children, women and schools. She was tasked with translating English to Arabic and vice versa, both for giving tours to foreigners and translating artifact labels.
The two internships, Muehlhaeusler said, were life-changing. “Watching women’s faces light up after seeing their crafts displayed in the Grand Egyptian Museum as part of the NCW program made me aware of what personal success means to individuals,” she said. Through her work at the Museum of Islamic Arts, she gained an appreciation for the organization and consideration that goes into every exhibit, allowing visitors to have enriching experiences.
Muehlhaeusler attributes much of her success to her AUC education. “Museums are not just spaces that hold old objects; they tell narratives. In my history courses, we learn how to analyze historical narrative to construct arguments,” she said. “Not only did my major support my internship in this way, but the internship supported my major — I discovered how much I love public history!”
Her creative writing style, which permeates her content creation for social media, comes from her second major in English and comparative literature. “History and comparative literature are both majors that encourage human connection, and that is the purpose of the human experience: to connect rather than differentiate.”
In three words, Muehlhaeusler summarized her experiences as “fulfilling, challenging and full of love.”
AUC offered me the tools for being a successful intern: mentorship, networking opportunities, and a welcoming, inspirational atmosphere.
Assem AlGhayesh, also a graduating senior, is majoring in political science with a specialization in international relations. Since Summer 2023, AlGhayesh has been an intern at the Ministry of International Cooperation in the Department of China, Korea, Japan and the New Development Bank.
AlGhayesh has participated in many high-policy dialogues as part of this role, including the Economic Development Cooperation Forum, where he documented key discussions for senior officials, including Minister. Rania Al-Mashaat and Deputy Foreign Minister Abou Bakr Hefny. He also advised on compliance, “ensuring that major projects like the Monorail and Abou Qir railway adhered to international standards” and proactively identifying and suggesting solutions for potential challenges in partnerships.
“I learned that doing the right thing sometimes means reaching out to hold another’s hand, empowering them to believe they can do the same.”
Just recently, AlGhayesh participated in the Egypt-Japan High-Policy Dialogue, where the Japanese ambassador to Egypt and important stakeholder organizations were in attendance. AlGhayesh also participated in the Network of Nexus of Water, Food and Energy: A Year of Implementation conference in the New Administrative Capital. With Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and 24 ambassadors in attendance, the event highlighted the National Water and Food Security Initiative’s achievements over the past year.
“My journey would not have been possible without the support I got from AUC, which offered me the tools for being a successful intern: the right mentorship, networking opportunities to connect with leaders in my field, and a welcoming, inspirational atmosphere that motivated me to pursue this journey for both my country and for myself,” he said.
Likewise, the internship complemented his studies at AUC, together motivating AlGhayesh to be a changemaker, helping those around him. “We all face the choice between what is right and what is easy,” he said. “I learned that doing the right thing sometimes means not only putting one foot forward but also reaching out to hold another’s hand, empowering them to believe they can do the same.”
In December, AlGhayesh participated in a training program organized under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representing AUC among a selective and diverse group of participants.
