Liberal Arts Voices

Read the perspectives of our current students

Another PSU intern checking in from Washington DC

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My name is Ethan Hirsch. I am a rising junior currently on a track to receive a double major in International Politics and Finance, in addition to a Latin American Studies minor.
For the past nine weeks, I have been interning at the Council of the Americas. The Council is a policy organization dedicated to issues in the Western Hemisphere, including (but not limited to) political affairs, trade, energy, and immigration. As I  prepare for an extended study abroad in Sao Paulo, Brazil during the spring semester, I pursued an internship at the Council with the aim of gaining an in-depth perspective on Latin American affairs within the Washington D.C. bubble.
The modern day internship is continually evolving, becoming more coveted every year. What was once an opportunity for rising seniors to experience their future vocation, and possibly gain some footing within the company of their choice, has become a near-requirement for rising sophomores and juniors.  Interns have become an integral part of the economy, as corporations across America plug ambitious youngsters into corporate departments across the office to fulfill unglamorous, yet necessary tasks.
An all-encompassing creed that I’ve followed during my time here at the Council is a “never-say-no” attitude. To put it simply, I have tried to affirm every request made of me, volunteering readily in many cases, regardless of my relative lack-of-qualification, ability, or experience. This has helped me to avoid some of the rote day-to-day aspects of the traditional summer internship, and led to some interesting and unique experiences that I would certainly never have experienced otherwise. 
Prior to an event taking place on Capitol Hill, it was announced that our photographer could not make the event. I’ve never really been much the photographer, but why not? As a “DC local” (at least for the summer), I’ve taken countless pictures for tourist families, managing to fit all of the family members in the shot while incorporating the landmark-in-question! After readily offering my services as photographer, I was given a 2 minute tutorial by the photographer, which essentially consisted of “zoom in/out, point, click, and shoot.” How hard could it possibly be?
Before I knew it, I was given a professional-quality camera, and charged with capturing snapshots of the various V.I.Ps, Congressmen, and attendees. No problem. I began shooting conservatively, incorporating various angles, zooms, and pans. A cinch! Midway through the affair, I took a break to review my first foray into photography. Rather than the professional-quality photos I imagined, the results were horrendous. The shots were dark, out of focus, and generally poor. Immediately I began frantically running across the venue, figuring that by taking as many pictures as possible, I would come up with something useful. By the end of the event, I had nearly used up the entire memory card. 
In all, I was told that of the estimated 400 shots I took, approximately eight were suitable for use. 
Regardless of my futile attempts as a photographer, I urge prospective interns to follow a similar adage. By opening yourself up to any and all experiences, you will begin to find yourself more useful, meet more people around the office, and may even find your true vocational calling.

Center for Strategic and International Studies Intern

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Soccer.jpgMy 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.

Capitol Associates, Inc. Intern

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My name is Amanda Craig, and I am a senior double majoring in International Politics and Sociology. After countless internship applications, I interviewed with Capitol Associates, Inc. (CAI) and was later offered one of its two internship positions for the summer. Thrilled with the possibilities, I headed south to Washington, DC.

CAI is a lobbying firm in Capitol Hill that specializes in areas of health, education, and human resource programs. The firm recently celebrated its 26th Anniversary (Congrats, CAI!). As explained to me, the commodity of a lobbying firm is information. My job for the summer would be to provide accurate, rapid, and reliable information from DC to clients located across the country. As someone who has always considered working in Washington, DC and who is extremely curious about the policy making process, my experience at CAI will be invaluable.

My first day of work at Capitol Associates, Inc. (CAI) was May 10–the Monday after finals week. On top of trying to study, I was trying to prepare for my first day. Looking back, I recommend three things for your first day on the job.

Do a test run of traveling to your internship location. For me, commuting by metro was new territory, so I took the metro into DC with a friend the Sunday before and learned how to switch trains to get to Union Station. I forgot my directions but remembered that Massachusetts Avenue led right to the office, so we found Mass. Ave. and started walking. The office should have been about 5 blocks away next to a park, but we didn’t see it anywhere. After a lengthy walking tour of DC, I learned that we took Mass. Ave. Northwest instead of Northeast. For those of you unfamiliar with DC streets, there is a quadrant system (NW, NE, SW, SE) with vertical numbered streets, horizontal lettered streets, and diagonal state streets. Needless to say, I learned the system quickly, and I am very grateful that I did not get lost on my first day of work.

Do learn names. You are going to spend the rest of your summer working with the people you meet throughout your first week. Take the time to learn their names. Don’t hesitate to carry a notebook and jot down names if you need to. Introduce yourself to others, and repeat their names after they introduce themselves to you.

Do ask questions. I was told this countless times, and it is so true. Many of us interns are entering brand new environments, so it is ok for us to ask questions. Better to ask now and know later.

I also want to share some advice that I’ve been given by the CAI staff. First, make a list of things you would like to do for your summer and actually do it. This is really big for me as I am a city full of opportunities. I’ve already toured the Capitol Building and Supreme Court. Second, diplomacy matters. Reach out and network as much as you can in your new position, but be aware of how you introduce yourself and ask things. I reached out to my Congressman, and within my second week, I had the pleasure of meeting him. Finally, get the facts. Our job as students is to challenge current research, rules, etc. As I gather research and write reports for CAI clients, I must back up what I say, check my sources, and know the whole story. For those of you who have opinions on the controversial Arizona immigration law, I challenge you to read the law. It is about 17 pages long, and shouldn’t you read it before you can judge it?

I hope this advice helps you as much as it has helped me in my first weeks of working as an intern. Know that no matter where you are or where you are going, a fellow Penn Stater is probably close by.

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