Washington, D.C. is intern heaven.  Thousands of aspiring politicians, NGO-hopefuls, and students looking to forge a career path flock to the capital in June.  This summer I was one of them; I am currently an intern at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.  Before I delve deeper into the details of my internship, allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Suzanne Zakaria, and I am a rising junior.  I am dual-majoring in International Politics and Spanish, and minoring in Geography.  I am a member of the Schreyer Honors College and, within the College of the Liberal Arts, a member of the Paterno Fellows Program.

Through the College of Communication’s Washington Program, I was lucky enough to obtain an internship at the Wilson Center.  My first day of orientation at the Wilson Center was, shortly put, overwhelming.  My building is a block away from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue; looking out the window, the Washington Monument surreally stands.  The Wilson Center is located in the beautifully designed Ronald Reagan Building, and it neighbors USAID and the Environmental Protection Agency.  I could hardly believe that this was the place where I would work.

By week two, however, the surroundings became familiar, no doubt facilitated by the nurturing environment at the Wilson Center.  My official title is “Research Assistant,” and I work with two scholars, assisting them with their research.  I could not have asked for more interesting topics.  My first scholar’s name is Ilan Greenberg, and he is researching how social scientists collaborate with the military.  My responsibility is to track down these social scientists; information is often not forthcoming as their military work was classified.  This process involves trips to the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the National Security Archives, and the Smithsonian Libraries.  I’ve learned how to file Freedom of Information Acts (FOIA), and I have utilized numerous databases.

My second scholar’s name is Francis Kornegay, and he is the lead co-editor of a forthcoming book about how the US foreign policy implications of the “BRICS” countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) form an adaptive diplomacy in shaping US international strategy.  My responsibilities include editing chapter submissions that come in from authors of the BRICS countries and compiling bibliographies.  It’s a different kind of work than what I do for my other Scholar, but I love the variety and use of different skillsets on different projects.

None of my experiences at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars would have been possible without the gracious funding from the Paterno Fellows Programs.  Never would I have been able to afford an apartment (and food and transportation!) otherwise.  I extend my thanks to the College of the Liberal Arts, and I urge anyone who is thinking of applying to the Paterno Fellows Program to make the commitment.

I am in D.C. until August, and I am excited to continue my experiences at the Wilson Center.  D.C. is intern heaven, and I’m soaking it all in.