Hi, my name is Akhil Agrawal. I am a Chancellor Scholar at the University of Pittsburgh Fredericks Honors College. Currently, I am pursuing a major in political science with a certificate in Global Health. Outside of my school work, I am the founder of The Sill Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to help orphans in India receive medical treatment, food, shelter, and an education. I was adopted from a young age from India and understand the struggles that many orphans face.
On a professional level, I am interested in pursuing a career in law. I have had the opportunity over the years to gain hands-on experience through various internships with law offices in Pittsburgh. I have interned with the Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky law firm. While working there, I assisted lawyers in research for upcoming trials. I have also interned with a few different public defender offices. The offices of Stephanie M. Noel, where I currently help assist lawyers with case research and evidence gathering. Kate Lovelace is another lawyer that I have helped do work for. A few years ago, she ran for district magistrate. I assisted her and her team during her campaign.
In addition to having legal experience, I have also done work in the non-profit sector. I have done an internship with an organization called Queen’s Gambit. This organization helps teach chess to children in the Pittsburgh area. The meaning behind the game of chess is the critical thinking skills that are involved. Ensuring that young people develop critical thinking can help them in their academic or professional endeavors. The Queen’s Gambit was started by a Pitt alumni named Ashley Lynn Priore. The Phipps Conservatory is another organization that I worked for. During my time at Phipps, I worked with other peers and staff members to develop sustainable solutions. One of the projects I was tasked with was to help implement a plan to help low-income communities in Pittsburgh have environmentally safe ways to live more efficiently. One of the solutions that my group came up with was garden kits for people to use to start their gardens. At the end of the year, Phipps hosted an event that event over 200 people from the Pittsburgh area. My group presented our solution and had the chance to talk with people in the community. There was a table with several hundred garden kits that we handed out to people.
The program that I am doing is the International Internship in Berlin. One of the reasons I decided on Berlin was to learn more about the politics. Berlin is the centre for many political issues and governance. I feel that this specific program fits my interest in going into law in the future. What I hope to gain from the experience on a professional level is to learn how to adapt to a different work culture. I think it is important has a political science major to have a strong understanding of different cultures and legal structures. The skill to think critically and challenge other viewpoints is important for going into law. This will also give me the chance to learn more about the German work culture. I hope to make a connection during my internship in Berlin. I also hope that I can find ways to contribute to my company in a meaningful way. On a personal level, I hope to challenge myself to go beyond my comfort zone. I want to use this experience as an opportunity to learn more about Germany and its people. During my time in Berlin, I plan to engage in the local community and learn more about the country’s history.
For my internship, I was placed with the Hertie School for the Centre for Fundamental Rights. The Hertie School is known for its graduate-level research and public policy education. I feel that this institution aligns with my major and plans to pursue a career in law. The Centre for Fundamental Rights will be an opportunity for me to engage with graduate-level researchers and faculty. Some of the tasks that I will work on are doing research an legal rulings, and current human rights issues. I will also help the Hertie School in hosting a workshop that brings researchers from across Germany together. This will provide me with the chance to develop my research skills and learn how to organize legal information in an academic setting. Research skills I find to be a valuable asset as it will be important for law school and will asset to me after in the legal profession.
