Major: Global and International Studies and International Politics
Minor: Security Risk Analysis
Hometown: New Rochelle, NY

How did you learn about this opportunity?

When applying for internships I knew it was important to keep an open mind and by doing this I applied for this internship. I was just searching the web and came upon this internship. I liked doing this because it gave me the comfort learning about and understanding the company before I talked to them. Business fairs are hard because they are close to the end of the semester and sometimes companies pull out or come last minute and that does not give you any prep time.

Tell us a little bit about your experience.

My internship so far has been an amazing learning experience. I thought that I would come into to my internship and they would have a ton of projects and busy work for me to do but I was wrong. There is less work than I am used to so I have the flexibility to make my own work based off of my interests. This is a really interesting opportunity because it is hard to ask for what I want, but if I do not want to sit around bored all day then I have to speak up for myself and tell my supervisor what I want to help out with. I have also learned how to keep my mouth closed in a professional setting. I love to express my opinion even if I know that no one in the room shares my opinion. But, in a professional setting this is not always the way to go about your colleagues. I have to make sure that what I am saying is in line with our organizations mission, or otherwise why would I be working for this non-profit.

How did this experience impact you academically?

Academically I feel as though I have already grown incredible amounts. My boss already had me write an Op-Ed, which is to be published soon. I feel as though this has opened up doors for me in the future that I do not even know about yet and I am excited to find them. I have also been able to think of creative solutions for many problems that our office has been facing for a while now. I cannot go into to many specifics on that one but we are hosting an event and we could not find a co-sponsor and I remembered someone from my Temple at home told me to reach out to them when I was in DC. I did and now their organization is our co-sponsor.

What are your career goals and plans?  How did this experience impact them?

I do not know what I want to do exactly because who ever knows, but I think this internship has narrowed it down a little. After college I want to enroll in Law School but after that I am unsure of whether I want to work for the government or for a private political risk organization. I do not really know what the latter means but I was at a networking event and met a woman who did that and it seemed amazingly exciting. I have a meeting with a firm to talk about possible internships for next summer and I hope that it becomes a little more solidified after my meeting with them. It would be an amazing job opportunity and I would not have been afforded this opportunity had I not gotten my current internship.

It would be an amazing job opportunity and I would not have been afforded this opportunity had I not gotten my current internship.

Would you recommend this experience to other Liberal Arts students?

I would recommend working for every kind of different organization you can. This was my first internship and it just so happens it was a non-profit. This is different than I thought it would be but I like it for a lot of reasons I could have not even imagined. I am excited to pursue other career options through other internships to find what my niche is.