Isabella Veronica Silalahi, MA International Affairs, Class of 2018, #ElliottProud Alumni
Isabella Veronica Silalahi graduated the youngest at 21 years old from the Elliott School with a Master’s of International Affairs in 2018, concentrating in International Law & Organizations. She is currently a Communications Practitioner and a youth and gender advocate with experiences working in partnerships and strategic communications in several United Nations agencies, namely UNDP and UNOPS in Washington D.C. and UNFPA in Indonesia. She is now the Regional Leader for Girl Up Indonesia, an organization helping adolescent girls become future leaders. Isabella enjoys focusing on the topic of gender equality, sexual reproductive health rights, and youth development, and she also writes Op-Eds for the International Policy Digest and The Jakarta Post. Yes, she is your typical hustling millennial.
Describe your current position and what made you interested in applying?
I am currently the Communications & Learning Officer for a USAID-funded project called USAID ASEAN Policy Implementation based in Indonesia. Previously I have been working in several United Nations agencies namely, UNDP and UNOPS in Washington DC doing Partnerships and Communications and then Youth Advisory Panel in UNFPA Indonesia, the United Nations agency for sexual and reproductive health rights. I have always been interested in working inside large international organizations with the opportunity to connect me cross-culturally and globally. Additionally, upon graduating from GW, I landed the position as a Communications professional in the UN system and loved the challenge. As a communications practitioner, I am constantly learning to listen more and give the platform to those whose voices need to be heard the most. But as a youth advocate, I always say that my generation of young change-makers isn’t just looking for a seat at the table, but we are here to be critical and flip the table and change the game.
What do you wish other people knew about your organization?
Oh wow where do I start? I am currently a part of 3 different organizations and side hustle a lot! But the organization that I started last year, Girl Up Indonesia, is a non-profit organization that is a part of the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up campaign working to mentor young girls to be leaders and change for gender equality. Currently, our organization has more than 10 clubs all over Indonesia with more than 130 members and we are working hard to mentor young girls to become future leaders and advocates gender equality within issues such as sexual reproductive health rights and gender-based violence. We can be found on our Instagram page @girlupindonesia and we have monthly events from webinars, outreaches, and more. I am also the Youth Advisory Panel for UNFPA, the United Nations Agency for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, working to advise and elevate the knowledge of reproductive health rights for young people in Indonesia through digital content, IG live series, and making taboo conversations fun and approachable for all young people to engage with!.
What Elliott School courses would you recommend for students interested in your field and why?
The course Leadership in International Affairs with Professor Christopher Kojm really helped me with becoming a leader in my community that strives with continuous personal development, integrity, and empathy. I think it’s crucial for any aspiring development practitioner to take this course because it will equip you with the right character to work in the most sensitive job field. I always say that character is what will shape your career. You can have the skills but if you do not have the right kind of character, then your achievements will be empty.
Also, Redefining the United Nations with Ambassador George Moose is a must for those who want to work in the UN. Why? Because we need to learn to be critical about reforming large institutions. I always say that as a young person working in the UN, it is not enough for us to be a part of the “system”, it’s more important for us to be critical, change the game, and think of ways to better the system for the next generations. And that’s what I hope I am doing right now.
Can you provide any wisdom for students starting their job search?
Be patient and proactive. It will take a few wrong turns and career choices for you to find your true calling. I have three tips (The Three Cs); Be Collaborative. Be Creative. And find your Community. Find your niche. Find your passion and don’t be afraid to be different. Do not let your age, gender, race, or anything be your boundary, let it be your secret weapon! Build your critical thinking skills while at the Elliott School because that will help the employer see how much you stand out. Build your voice because your future employer will respect that. But most of all, be open to finding the mentorship that will last a lifetime for both your professional and personal life.
What book should be required reading for all Elliott School grad students and why?
Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge.
Why? I’ll let the title speak for itself.
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The #ElliottProud profile series is managed by the Elliott School Office of Graduate Admissions and highlights graduate program alumni to answer common questions posed by prospective, incoming, and current students. For more information on this series or to submit questions, e-mail the Office of Graduate Admissions at esiagrad@gwu.edu.
The views expressed by students profiled do not necessarily represent those of organizations they work for, are affiliated with, or the Elliott School of International Affairs.
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