AU Interns http://intern.blogs.american.edu Tue, 15 May 2012 01:05:21 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 First Day http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/05/15/first-day/ http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/05/15/first-day/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 01:03:42 +0000 Lizzie http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/05/15/first-day/ If I were a superstitious person, I might have turned around before I even got to my first day of my summer internship. There I was, all dressed up in my internship clothes, blending in with the hordes of Washingtonians heading to the metro. I felt like an imposter, as if any moment someone would call me out – Intern! We have an intern here! I walked down the first set of escalators, turned the corner, and there it was – or rather, wasn’t. Not a single light was on. Pitch black.

I never found out what happened to make all the lights go out. I stumbled down the escalator (out of course) and the train came on time. Luckily, the rest of the day was much better. I met my coworkers, set up my desk, ate lunch in a park, and made it home successfully.

I am working as a Summer Fellow with the non-profit ServeNext. The organization works to advocate for national service programs in Congress. I’ll be specifically working in Development. Since my focus of my MPA is Non-Profit Management, its a perfect internship for me!

I look forward to writing blogs about what I’m doing at my job, life as an intern, and working in DC! Keep checking back for new posts.

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]]> http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/05/15/first-day/feed/ 0 Teaching the Next Generation… http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/30/teaching-the-next-generation/ http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/30/teaching-the-next-generation/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:44:10 +0000 Josephine Chu http://intern.blogs.american.edu/?p=4085 As I mentioned before, I also work with the After-care program at an elementary school, Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School. I work with the Garden Club and teach two Science and Scouts classes, one for K-1st and one for 2nd to 4th grades. Because of the DC Healthy Schools Act, the DC Office of State Superintendent of Education made several grants available to aid schools establish edible gardens. Washington Yu Ying PCS partnered with Earth Day Network and in early February, we received a $10,000 grant for our garden! Since last fall, we have been working with the students, parents, teachers, and other organizations to plan the gardens and outdoor space. On Saturday, April 21, we held a Garden Work Day and built several raised beds, an outdoor stage, cleaned up the grounds, and planted azaleas around the campus. At the event, I was in charge of the kids’ activities, which included making seed bombs. To make seed bombs, you mix wildflower seeds with clay, soil, and water to form a small ball that can be planted in spaces that may be difficult to garden otherwise. This is a very fun, but messy activity, and so by the end of the day, I was covered in mud and dirt! At the event, my boss, Yolanda, also provided the Green Goddess smoothie and other refreshments from the market. We believe giving kids the opportunity to learn about where their food comes from and to eat healthy food will be essential towards creating a healthier food system and future.

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]]> http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/30/teaching-the-next-generation/feed/ 0 Lessons Learned and What’s Next? http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/30/lessons-learned-and-whats-next/ http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/30/lessons-learned-and-whats-next/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:19:17 +0000 Josephine Chu http://intern.blogs.american.edu/?p=4081 Through working at the market this semester, I have learned so much about how small businesses operate and the many challenges that they face in getting established. It has a been great learning experience, for which I am very grateful, and through the market, I have been able to connect with many other people both in the DC community and nationally working on sustainability and food issues. For example, in late February, I attended a conference at Boston University, hosted by the History Department, entitled Food and the City. This conference gave me a great historical background in how food systems were developed in the past and what lessons can be drawn from those case studies. I also represented the market at the Howard University Green Jobs Fair hosted by Green for All, which provided me with a great opportunity to connect with other people with similar interests. I also participated in several Sustainable DC meetings, as part of the DC government’s initiative to create a plan to make DC as sustainable as possible.

As I would like to continue working on sustainability and food issues in the district, I hope to be able to draw on this network, especially for the new practicum option that the Global Environmental Politics program is offering. Instead of writing a Significant Research Paper, we now have the option of choosing to do a practicum, which would consist of a team project with 6-7 other Masters students to create some sort of deliverable for a NGO or government agency. I am hoping to work on a practicum that would allow me to work towards creating a more sustainable and just food system in DC.

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]]> http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/30/lessons-learned-and-whats-next/feed/ 0 ‘Till Next Time http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/30/till-next-time/ http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/30/till-next-time/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:59:22 +0000 Amanda Osborn http://intern.blogs.american.edu/?p=4078 Well, today marks another semester over, another internship completed. Like any ending, the end of my internship at the Peace Corps has been bittersweet. Do I look forward to future gigs in the future, particularly ones that pay? Of course! But I will miss my internship still. I’ll miss my supervisors, the relaxed office atmosphere, the different writing projects I’ve been tasked with, the co-interns I became friends with over the semester. But I know that I’ll be able to keep in touch, and in a city as small as DC, I wouldn’t be surprised if my paths crossed again with anyone I’ve worked with over the last four months. So, it’s not goodbye, but rather ’till next time!

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]]> http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/30/till-next-time/feed/ 0 Tata, CEI http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/29/tata-cei/ http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/29/tata-cei/#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:21:34 +0000 Laura http://intern.blogs.american.edu/?p=4075 I don’t want to stop working for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, but I have to. As they say, all good things must come to an end, and sometimes the end leads to another good beginning, as it does for me, when I transition to working for the federal government this summer.

Early in the semester I talked to my boss, Myron, about my duties, my role and the general expectations upon me as a CEI intern. He made it very clear that the point was to learn, to get out, meet people and understand how Washington works, at least in one area (that being energy and environmental policy). In these four short months, I have done just that.

I’ve been to Capitol Hill, attended meetings with various divisions of government, wrote about policy and met tons of people. I learned more about the liberty movement and even on days when most of what I was doing was reading the news or researching a particular topic, I was still learning. I very much got to see the “inside” of a movement.

Most of all, it has been really incredible to get to be a part of the CEI family, even if temporarily. Not only has exposure to all sorts of opinions and writings helped me better understand my own views, but it has opened me up to new ideas and given me a vastly improved ability to think analytically and critically not just about the surface impacts of policy, but its long-reaching effects and repercussions. The people I work with are passionate and loyal to their beliefs. The good thing about Libertarians is that they actually believe what they believe, and truly do accept everyone for who they are. There are a lot of eccentric, brilliant and hilarious people in my office, and never did I feel silly or out of place – quite the opposite. It has been one of the most accepting and supportive offices to work in, and I will miss that terribly.

It will be a very different thing, to work for the government, after a semester of working for people who, in some ways, oppose its existence entirely. But, I think it is worth a shot to see for myself what it’s about; after all, that is why I moved to DC and am getting an MPA degree. To see what’s out there! But I will never forget CEI.

I hope everyone has a glorious summer, and I will see you again in the fall!

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]]> http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/29/tata-cei/feed/ 0 On The Outside Looking In http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/27/on-the-outside-looking-in/ http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/27/on-the-outside-looking-in/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:20:03 +0000 Emily http://intern.blogs.american.edu/?p=4069 Turning in my badge was difficult.  For the past three months, it has been my key to a door I’ve been itching to open for years.  Unlike “unsecured” workplaces, I can’t just walk in and say hi whenever I want.  I need to be invited, approved, and escorted.  Now that my internship is over, I’m an outsider.

I know that sounds incredibly dramatic, but I was sad to leave my office.  The people are incredible, both in my office, and the foreign service officers passing through for training.  I made some great connections.  Being at the Foreign Service Institute, I learned a lot about myself and about how I proceed from here.  Although I am excited to catch up on sleep and go back to being a student for a few weeks.

I plan to take the Foreign Service Officer Test this summer.  If I pass, my training would start shortly after graduation next year.  In the mean time, I plan to intern in the private sector and on the Hill so that I can have something to compare my first internship to.  This was an incredible experience, and I loved every minute!

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]]> http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/27/on-the-outside-looking-in/feed/ 0 Things You Didn’t Know Your Supervisor Might Do For You! http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/things-you-didnt-know-your-supervisor-might-do-for-you/ http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/things-you-didnt-know-your-supervisor-might-do-for-you/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:46:41 +0000 Emily http://intern.blogs.american.edu/?p=4065 This being my first internship, I really didn’t know what to expect from my supervisor.  I’m sure everyone’s experience is different, but here is a list of things I was surprised (and thankful!) that my supervisor did for me.  All I had to do was ask!

1. Help you plan your next step.

My supervisor was very interested in what I was doing next.  She let me bounce ideas off of her and gave me some good leads to get to where I want to be in a couple months and even a couple years.

2. Help you plan your further education.

I could always pick my supervisor’s brain about grad school, which helped me look at it with a more practical, work-related eye.

3. Review your resume.

Newsflash, thinking of applying for a job in the industry your internship is in?  Who better to help you perfect your resume than someone who is already there?  Especially when it comes to Federal resumes, they could be looking for something you didn’t even think about including.  My supervisor sat down with me one day and helped me tear apart and rebuild my resume so that it is much better prepared to handle the government screening process.

The biggest thing to remember is not to be afraid to ask.  I think a lot of supervisors don’t just want the free labor.  They are genuinely interested in their interns.  Just make sure to show them that you are interested too!

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]]> http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/things-you-didnt-know-your-supervisor-might-do-for-you/feed/ 1 Final Paper – Looking at the Whole Picture http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/final-paper-looking-at-the-whole-picture/ http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/final-paper-looking-at-the-whole-picture/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:08:31 +0000 Faye Steinhauser http://intern.blogs.american.edu/?p=3927 My final project for this semester’s journalism security internship is to write a final paper that discusses the current state of journalistic security. The research has required me to look into many levels of policy regarding the issue, including the United Nations’ efforts, federal and state law and corporate policies. Though combing through policy is pretty exhausting, it is really interesting to see where each organization has confronted the issues in freedom of the press and journalists. I am also looking at the current education system for journalists, which one author says does little to prepare international journalists for the real life situations they will face, many of which are directly related to security (like knowing the laws of defamation in a country, for example). Finally, I’m looking at the work that organizations like IFEX, CPJ, RSF and others do to try and improve journalistic security. The research has been really interesting, but has also revealed a lot of unresolved issues in security. One of the more interesting issues involves the definition of a journalist – should it include bloggers, student journalists who are not professional and other informal disseminators of news? It may seem like a simple question, but when you look at protections like shield laws, which can preclude journalists from having to reveal confidential sources to a grand jury, the issue and the application of laws reveals a complex and important side of the issue. It is really good to see that so many people and organizations are talking about this very important topic and hopefully the dialogue will continue to turn into policies which promote free speech and the safety of news personnel!

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]]> http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/final-paper-looking-at-the-whole-picture/feed/ 0 Hangin’ at the Chamber of Commerce http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/hangin-at-the-chamber-of-commerce/ http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/hangin-at-the-chamber-of-commerce/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:02:06 +0000 Laura http://intern.blogs.american.edu/?p=4055 I had another interesting event to attend today. It was in the lovely Hall of Flags, which is a tad Hogwartsy and very pretty, at the US Chamber of Commerce. It was part of the Chamber’s CEO Leadership Series and featured Nick Akins, President & CEO of American Electric Power.

Nick Akins in the Hall of Flags at the Chamber of Commerce

Nick Akins in the Hall of Flags at the Chamber of Commerce

 

His remarks were not surprising; mostly discussing the need for a “diversified energy portfolio,” stressing his belief that relying too much on cheap natural gas will ultimately be too narrow-minded. He, of course, has electricity industry interests at heart, and stated nuclear and coal should remain viable options, along with renewable resources. (That last one confused me, since renewable are so far from being viable, remaining costly and inefficient, and he must know that – perhaps he has an investment interest when they receive subsidies?)

When asked what top three things he would do to change the energy field, his first response was to create an energy “plan,” citing China as an example of a country that plans it energy use. I didn’t quite know what to make of that – we should copy China’s central planning? That is certainly a topic I would be interested to know more of his thoughts on.

But I must say, the food was quite excellent. The Chamber always serves a really good raspberry tea, and just look at this beautiful panna cotta! Dee-lish.

Panna cotta! Mm-mm-mm.

Panna cotta! Mm-mm-mm.

 

I will be with CEI for a couple more weeks, though my next post will be my last. It will be an opportunity to reflect on everything I have learned and seen this semester – quite a lot. Until then!

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]]> http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/hangin-at-the-chamber-of-commerce/feed/ 0 Reflection http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/reflection/ http://intern.blogs.american.edu/2012/04/26/reflection/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:14:33 +0000 cw3834a http://intern.blogs.american.edu/?p=4053 My internship is over and I would like to take a minute to reflect upon my semester as an intern and a blogger.

The overall theme of my blog was lessons learned from my internship.  I can’t stress how much I learned this semester and how much I enjoyed my time interning.  I will always remember and appreciate this experience.  I have enjoyed writing about it and having the time to reflect while I was in the middle of it.  I’ve come to a lot of realizations this semester and if I can leave you with one thought, it would be this: take advantage of every opportunity that is thrown your way.  I know it’s easier said than done, and sometimes it seems impossible, but it will be worth it.  I’ve come to realize that having a positive attitude can lead to so many positive changes.

So be happy, intern, work hard.  If you’re trying to figure out what to do with your life, don’t sweat it, it will come together sooner than you think.

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