Meet Eline Munster

Learn more about Eline Munster, Alumna (Class of 2017)

Where are you living now? London

What did you do after you left ISL?
I attended New York University for the past four years, spending three years in New York City and one year in London where I attended NYU's campus in London for two semesters abroad.

What did you study at University? 
I double majored in Politics and European & Mediterranean Studies, with minors in Chemistry and French. I was on the pre-law track as well.

What are you doing now?
I am currently working as a legal analyst at Kobre & Kim, an international law firm based in NYC that specializes in cross-border litigation. I am working in their London office and I am planning to attend law school in a couple of years to fulfill my long-term dream of becoming a lawyer. 

Do you think that your time at ISL helped you pursue this? If yes, how? 
My time at ISL truly helped me thrive for the past four years at NYU and eventually land my dream job. As one can imagine, NYU and NYC in general were extremely fast-paced and competitive environments to enter straight after high school, but my years at ISL really taught me perseverance and to continue to dream big even during challenging times. Completing my undergraduate degree and finding a job in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic was certainly a significant challenge in itself, but it was the perseverance that I had acquired during my education at ISL that helped me push through it. The exposure I acquired to different cultures and backgrounds and the adaptability and open-mindedness that comes with this exposure were also imperative during my time at NYU. This exposure encouraged me to continue to foster new relationships and learn about new cultures and to always keep an open mind during the last few years. 

What advantages has studying at ISL given you? 
From an academic perspective, the rigor of ISL's academic program and the IB proved to be imperative during my time at NYU. Having had such a multi-faceted education at ISL was perfect preparation for completing a Liberal Arts program at NYU, since I was used to juggling chemistry exams while writing papers and collecting data for analyses for an economics class all in one week. Writing an extended essay and completing numerous IAs meant that I was well-prepared for any college-level academic assignment right from the get-go. ISL really gave me both the ability and most importantly the determination to succeed at NYU and beyond. 

What advice would you give students to help them make the most of their time at ISL?
Participate in as many extracurricular activities as you can and take all the opportunities that are presented to you. Some of my fondest memories to this day are the trips that I took during my years at ISL, whether that was travelling to Copenhagen for the Track & Field NECIS competitions to travelling to Budapest for the YMGE conference to travelling every year to the Hague for the annual AMIS festival. These opportunities are truly once-in-a-lifetime adventures and you'll form some of your strongest friendships along the way. My friends from ISL and I still reminisce about all the crazy adventures that we went on during these trips and the amazing memories associated with them! 

Were you involved in any clubs/activities at ISL? What did you enjoy about them and what benefit do you think they have for students?
I did my best to take advantage of all the fantastic clubs and activities that were offered at ISL. I was a member of the Global Issues Network and was a moderator of the GIN conferences that took place in Luxembourg during my last years at ISL. I participated in numerous of ISL's theatre productions and I was a member of the Symphonic Band, having played the clarinet for 9+ years at ISL. I was also part of the Track & Field team at ISL for 9 years. Participating in these clubs and activities really taught me key skills such as teamwork, organizational and leadership skills. Although I may have acquired these skills to some extent in the classroom setting, I believe I really managed to hone these skills through my participation in ISL's various clubs. Having just wrapped up my first month at my first full-time job, I will also add that these skills are the most imperative in the workplace, so I am grateful that I was able to master them so early on. 

Describe some of the things that ISL does above and beyond teaching and learning:
I really do believe ISL gives you the tools and the experiences to become a global citizen. You're exposed to not only so many different cultures, but also to so many different fields and experiences. I moved to New York having already experienced and seen so much, that I was much more confident in my abilities and not wary of taking on new challenges despite my entirely new surroundings. I immersed myself in new cultures and always approached my new surroundings, experiences and challenges with a global mindset, looking beyond my immediate environment and seeing the greater implications of what I was doing and how this could have an impact on different groups and people. 

How did your time at ISL help shape you as a person? 
My time at ISL really developed and shaped my strongest qualities, whether that be never being afraid to take on a new challenge, always keeping an open mind or stepping into leadership positions when needed. Beyond that, it was actually an extracurricular activity during my IB Economics class that really inspired me to conduct research in a specific field at NYU and my long-term career goal. I participated in the European Central Bank monetary policy challenge in 11th grade and it is during this time that I discovered my passion for the EU and its policies. I further developed this passion during the Yale Model Government Europe competition in Budapest and when I came to NYU I wrote my undergraduate honors thesis on the effects of the Eurozone crisis on the populist party vote share in the European Parliament elections. I also ended up founding the NYU European Horizons chapter during my senior year at NYU, which is an organization that focuses on EU and transatlantic affairs. My long-term goal is to one day work for the EU in a leadership position and I can honestly say that if it had not been for YMGE and the ECB competition at ISL I'm not sure I would have uncovered this passion. This is one of the many things that makes ISL so unique- it exposes you to so many people and experiences that end up having a prominent impact on your life in the long-term. 

What do you think is unique about ISL? 
The people, both in terms of the teachers/staff and the students. After moving to New York, I realized how unique it is to have formed lifelong friendships at such a young age. I am still in touch weekly if not daily with my friends from ISL even four years after and we always coordinate to meet when we can, whether that is in Luxembourg or whenever we find ourselves in the same city. I am also eternally grateful for the teachers and staff who guided and supported me throughout my time at ISL. What makes the teachers and staff at ISL unique is that they go above and beyond their roles- they were also my mentors and friends rather than just my teachers, college counselors, etc.

If you could thank a teacher or staff member, who would it be? 
The list is truly endless, but to name a few teachers and staff members who really had an impact on me especially my last years at ISL, I would like to thank Mrs. Schweifler, Mr. Blacklaws, Mr. Agraz and my college counselors Mrs. Bryne and Mr. Cookson. To Mrs. Schweifler- thank you for always pushing me to be the best version of myself, even when I wanted to throw my IB Geography practice Paper 1 out the window. To Mr. Blacklaws- thank you for being such an inspiring mentor and for helping me realize my true potential. To Mr. Agraz- thank you for all the support back from when I was a shy 7th grader in your Social Studies class to a stressed out senior in your IB Economics class. To Mrs. Bryne and Mr. Cookson- thank you for guiding me along to the next chapter of my life at NYU. I couldn't have done it without your continued patience, support and guidance. 

Describe ISL in 5 words: 
Home, Motivational, Global, Friendships, Community.