My name is Eli Glazier and I will be a junior in the fall, majoring in International Politics. This summer, I have the great opportunity to intern at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, more commonly known as CSIS, a non-partisan think tank in Washington, D.C.
The Center was created in 1962 in the shadow of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Its mission is to “provide strategic insights and bipartisan policy solutions to policymakers.” CSIS fellows regularly testify on Capitol Hill and routinely appear on cable news shows.
I became introduced to CSIS through a seminar held in their offices as a part of my IST 445H class in the fall of 2009. We went to Washington for a few days to participate in a cybersecurity simulation and listen to CSIS scholars talk about their areas of expertise. That experience first put the idea in my head that CSIS was where I wanted to be this summer. I completed my application in late January, also applying to the Center for American Progress, the Stimson Center, and a few others.
The specific department I am working in is called the Global Strategy Institute. Basically, the Institute looks beyond the every day issues policymakers usually deal with, instead taking the long view, examining “big global issues that lie before us.”
The signature program in GSI is called the Seven Revolutions. This presentation, given to a diverse range of groups, from policymakers and businessmen to college students and community leaders, highlights seven broad areas where there will be tremendous change over the next 25 years. The seven are: population, resource management, technology, information, economic integration, conflict, and governance.
My main job this summer is revising the Seven Revolutions Student Toolkit, a supplement for those using the Seven Revolutions as the focus of a college class, with more up-to-date facts and principles. Additionally, I will be working on GSI’s social media tools, mainly Facebook and Twitter.
GSI give its interns a lot of flexibility with what they want to work on. Additionally, if there is a speaker or event in the city that you are interested in, you are allowed to go. The staff understands that there is so much going on beyond the walls of CSIS and they don’t want you to miss out.
The past two weeks have been great. If they are any indication, my summer is going to be incredible. Below, I’ll leave you with some important information for your time in DC.
Some things I’ve learned so far:
– DC is very, very hot. It is impossible to overstate just how warm and humid the city can get. My cousin, who works at the State Department, in an effort to combat the effects of the heat, wears shorts to work, and changes into his suit when he arrives.
– Fridays after work, you should head to the National Sculpture Garden’s Jazz in the Garden. From 5-8pm, the benches and grassy areas of the Garden fill up with groups of interns and young professionals enjoying the weather, the music, and a glass of sangria.
– If you work at CSIS, don’t finish the coffee without brewing a new pot. Apparently, this is a really big deal at the Center. Those leading our brief orientation on Monday morning intoned at least three times: If you finish it, fill it up!
– Take advantage of cultural opportunities. DC has a wealth of art museums, concert venues, theaters, and monuments. My best experiences so far in the city have been attending a concert at the famous 9:30 Club and watching the US tie England in its first-round World Cup match in Dupont Circle with thousands of other fans.
– Ask your supervisor about fun, non-touristy things to do in the city. Locals have things that they like to do that out-of-towners don’t even know about.