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The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group is an international development finance institution devoted to promoting the economic and social development of its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Since partnering with the IDB Group in 2018, Waseda University has sent twelve students to participate in the IDB Group internship program. This internship program provides students with practical work experience at the IDB Group headquarters in Washington D.C., providing them with the opportunity to acquire the skills and expertise needed to thrive in an international organization, cultivate an international perspective, and strengthen global leadership skills.
For this article, we spoke with Waseda student Yuna Tachi, who participated in the 2026 Winter IDB Group Internship Program, about her reasons for applying, the content of her work as an intern, and her experience living and working in Washington D.C.

Turning a childhood spent in South America into the first step towards an IBD Group internship
Having spent seven years of my childhood in Brazil and Venezuela, I feel a strong connection to Central and South America. My multicultural upbringing inspired my dream of working for an international organization, which is why I decided to apply for the IDB Group internship program.

“What do you think?” – Working in an environment that values personal initiative
I was assigned to the Ecosystem Building and Acceleration team at IDB Lab, where I was tasked with a variety of duties including assisting with the preparation of business plans for new ventures (including background research, issue management, and drafting logic models), preparing project plans and concept papers, and gathering and organizing information on relevant organizations (NGOs, medical institutions, and startup support organizations). 

As an intern, rather than simply being there to observe, I was expected to consistently take an active part in business operations, and during meetings I was often asked “What do you think?” and “Do you have any other ideas?”

This required me to always have read the related material ahead of time and be ready to offer my personal opinion, which helped me to develop the ability to summarize and convey the key points of an issue.

The break room in the IDB Lab office

From student to presenter: speaking as a representative of the IDB Group
I also took part in a session to promote IDB Lab’s initiatives for a class at a local university in Washington D.C. I was able to choose my presentation topic and create a portion of the presentation slides myself, which gave me the experience of communicating the IDB Group’s message externally as part of the team.

A Japanese staff member served as my mentor and provided me with support not only in my work but also in my daily life, which allowed me to focus on my internship with greater peace of mind.

Delivering a presentation about the IDB Lab and its initiatives to local students

Everyday life in Washington D.C. filled with diversity
During the internship, I lived in a Catholic girls’ dormitory. The other interns in the program and my new friends from the dorm came from all over the world. Whether I was at work or in the dorm, I was surrounded by new perspectives every day. On weekends, I enjoyed visiting local museums to learn about history and culture.

I often spent lunch and coffee breaks with the other interns and IDB Group employees, discussing the realities of working for an international organization as well as our values and plans for the future, and these conversations helped expand my worldview.

Interacting with the other interns was just as educational as the internship itself

International cooperation is more than one-sided support: striving to tackle problems together with local partners
As an intern for the IDB Group, I was able to connect my childhood spent in Brazil and Venezuela to my current studies and work, and my dream of working for an international organization morphed from an abstract aspiration into a realistic career path.

Even during my short two-month internship, I realized that with thorough preparation, I could contribute meaningfully to discussions and the work being done. I developed an attitude of not holding back just because I was an intern. I also came to understand that international organizations do not solve social issues through one-sided support, but rather by working together with local partners.

Initially, I thought I might not be suited to work at an international organization because I had long struggled with macroeconomics and I assumed international organizations engaged in macroeconomic policy on a large scale, affecting whole nations or regions. However, once I started working at IDB Lab, I realized much of the work is done on a smaller scale, affecting individual communities or NGOs. In this context, it is vital to approach things from a microeconomic perspective. This helped me realize that international organizations do not necessarily deal with large-scale policies. I also felt that the micro-level perspective I gained through my studies at Waseda University (focusing on behavior, incentives, strategy, etc.) led me to gain insights and make discoveries through my work at the IDB Group, such as realizing that small-scale changes can lead to major policy shifts.

My experience at IDB Lab taught me that macroeconomic policy is the result of accumulating micro-level insights. I now have a renewed drive to push myself in an area that I once found intimidating. This represents a huge change for me.

Group picture with the other winter session interns and the IDB Group President

Leveraging my experience at the IDB Group to shape my future career
I plan to build on this internship by furthering my studies in the topics I encountered at IDB Lab, such as development economics and public policy. I also plan to seek opportunities to continue engaging in research and projects related to Latin America.

Additionally, I aim to improve my Spanish and French business-level proficiency, with the future goal of working at an international organization or development finance institution that focuses on innovative solutions to social challenges.

“If you’re unsure, just go for it!” – My message for Waseda students
I believe an internship at an international organization like the IDB Group is an opportunity that anyone can seize with enough preparation and drive, not something reserved for “special” people. And once you’re on the job, don’t hold back just because you’re an intern. Be prepared to voice your opinion with confidence! If you’re unsure about applying, just take the next step and go for it!

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Yuna TACHI, Senior, School of Political Science and Economics
Participated in the 2026 Winter IDB Group Internship Program.