During the 2022 spring semester, Hamilton Lugar School junior Julia Campbell decided to enroll in the Global Leaders and Professionals Program (GLPP). After her time in the program, Campbell felt prepared to apply for her first internship with an organization she was passionate about: the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK). She credits the GLPP for giving her the knowledge to know what jobs are looking for in an applicant, an aspect not discussed in her typical content courses.
Campbell said she “would definitely recommend GLPP to everyone that can take it.” The session she valued most centered around emotional intelligence, which she said helped her know and utilize her strengths and weaknesses. Campbell added, “The connections you get to build with your classmates and Professor Terrance Stroud are amazing.”
During her four-month internship with HRNK, Campbell had the opportunity to publish an original research article, author digital campaigns, and be featured on the organization’s podcast. Her research article pertained to women’s rights, treatment, and experiences in the North Korean military. As a contributor to HRNK’s Daily Press, Campbell synthesized information from major news outlets in the United States, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. She worked to compile news pertaining to North Korea, inner-peninsula relations, and U.S.-North Korea relations.
One of the highlights of Campbell’s virtual experience was traveling to Washington, D.C. to film an HRNK podcast titled “The Disappeared: Abducted By North Korea.” In the podcast, Campbell focused on Japanese nationals that had been abducted by the North Korean government. She expressed how interesting and disheartening it was to research this issue, highlighting that North Korea “would take people from their homes and force them to commit espionage” against their home countries.
When asked about what advice she would give to future generations of HLS students wanting to work in the human rights field or NGOs, Campbell said, “Students should find the niche group that they’re interested in advocating for; the smaller NGOs likely need you and your talents the most.” She thoroughly enjoyed the egalitarian atmosphere of HRNK and emphasized how each intern’s contributions and perspectives were valued. Campbell continued, “If you’re really interested in helping a group of underrepresented people, like North Koreans that are often left out of news coverage on human rights, it is impactful to have a group of hardworking people who believe in the same cause and share common goals.”
To support her internship experience and professional development, Campbell was granted HLS’s Dean’s Scholarship and the Tracy Gardner Internship Scholarship from IU’s Walter Center for Career Achievement.
Campbell plans to graduate from the Hamilton Lugar School in December of 2023. Her major is East Asian Languages and Cultures with a focus on the Korean language, to which she has devoted four years of study through the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. On campus, Campbell serves as the Vice President of IU’s Liberty in North Korea chapter. She is one of three IU students spending the Spring 2023 semester studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea through the ASPIRE Program at Sungkyunkwan University.