This blog post originally appeared on the website of James Madison College. 

When Anish Danappanavar learned about an internship opportunity with the Consulate General of Canada in Detroit, the opportunity felt designed for him.

His experiences immigrating to the U.S. from Canada as a child had helped shape his interest in law, public policy and diplomacy. As a James Madison College student majoring in International Relations and Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy, the internship timing aligned with his recent decision to add Economics as a third major.

“It was perfect for what I want to do because it was both international relations and economics,” Danappanavar explained. “This seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore what I wanted to do.”

The internship program, coordinated by MSU’s Canadian Studies Center, James Madison College (JMC) and the Consulate General of Canada in Detroit, launched last December with two students and has doubled this year. Four JMC students will begin internships in December: two working in trade and two working directly under the Consul General’s office on political matters.

“Given our geopolitical and economic ties with Canada, it makes a lot of sense for our students, particularly in Michigan, to be familiar with Canada and to understand the nuances of the relationship,” said Rebecca A. Malouin, director of MSU’s Canadian Studies Center.

Danappanavar successfully applied to the new program last fall and spent December 2024 through May 2025 working with the consulate’s trade department with fellow JMC student Grace Fitzerald (IR, Economics & French). The experience placed them at the center of U.S.-Canadian relations during government transitions in both countries and escalating trade discussions

“I was there at a very interesting time,” reflected Danappanavar.

Working under Senior Trade Commissioner Jan Scazighino, Danappanavar and Fitzgerald initially researched articles and current events, offering their perspectives as students studying international relations. They also helped coordinate diplomatic events, conducted data review and analysis, and supported a variety of other initiatives.

Near the end of their internships, they traveled to Indianapolis with Consul General Colin Bird for meetings with Eli Lilly executives and an Indiana Exporters event that had a focus on Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade relationships. The students prepared briefing materials for those meetings, including background information on the people they would meet, objectives for each meeting and supporting context.

“It was really interesting to see our work come to life by actually attending those meetings, seeing real-life diplomatic talks and trade talks happening,” Danappanavar said.

The Canadian Studies Center prioritizes demonstrating the value of the U.S.-Canada relationship to Michigan through faculty research, student experiences, and engagement with legislators and industry.

The Canadian Consulate partnership developed through conversations between Malouin and Consul General Bird about creating new opportunities for MSU students. Malouin has been working to build internship and education abroad programs since joining the Canadian Studies Center as director in 2020.

“Since most of our students do remain in Michigan after graduating from Michigan State, we feel that it’s especially important for our students to know about Canada,” she explained.

Malouin reached out to James Madison College because of the college’s focus on international relations and its interdisciplinary structure. Students with additional majors in areas like French and economics proved well-suited for work in trade and with a bilingual country.

The Canadian Consulate internships fulfill JMC’s field experience requirement, which every student must complete during their junior or senior year through either a semester-long internship, an education abroad program or a senior honors thesis. The internship pathway is the most common, with roughly 60% of JMC students completing their field experience this way.

Lauren Michalak, JMC’s field experience coordinator, said many JMC students are interested in careers related to diplomacy and international relations, and the Canadian Consulate program helps address that interest while keeping students close to home.

“This partnership has been incredibly valuable in offering students meaningful international work without requiring travel abroad or to DC or New York,” Michalak said. “Our students are able to gain real insights and experience in foreign relations, diplomacy and international trade. They can see how what they’ve learned in the classroom is practiced first-hand."

The college is working to develop additional partnerships that would allow students to gain diplomatic experience while remaining in the region.

For Danappanavar, the internship clarified how law — which he plans to pursue after graduation in the spring — can translate into diplomatic careers. He met people on the diplomacy team who were lawyers by education and had worked on trade treaties.

“I got to learn more about how a legal education, which is what I want to eventually pursue, can be translated into a career in diplomacy or foreign service,” he said.

“I got to see what their everyday is and how they serve the interests of both nations. I don’t think students pretty much anywhere have the opportunity to work with foreign governments and foreign diplomatic offices.”