Q&A WITH Alexandra Nigro, FALL 2017 INTERN AT NORTHEAST-MIDWEST INSTITUTE FROM URSINUS COLLEGE

/
009 (3).JPG

Where did you intern this Fall and what were some of your favorite projects?

This Fall I interned at the Northeast-Midwest Institute as the Environmental Policy Intern. Throughout the semester I worked on various projects relating to environmentalism and environmental policy. My largest project was a lead service line replacement project where I took an in depth look at major cities in the Northeast-Midwest region and assessed their lead service line replacement plans, which lasted the duration of the semester. I also worked on an ongoing project that tracked/monitored legislation pertaining to the Mississippi River Basin, the Great Lakes region, and cities within the 18 states in the Northeast and Midwest region. Additionally, I was able to attend pertinent briefings and hearings on Capitol Hill which was a wonderful and unique experience.

What did you learn in your classes?

Throughout the duration of the semester I would say that the internship seminar class was most valuable to me. In this class we used our time to go over practical drills that would be especially useful when applying or looking for a job. One thing that I found extremely valuable was the amount of time that we spent practicing job interview questions and answers and acting out various scenarios and how we would approach different situations. This gave me more confidence to be able to successfully navigate a job interview in the future. Another aspect of this class that was extremely helpful was the feedback that we received on our cover letters and resumes. Constructive criticism by our peers as well as the professor was invaluable. 

What did you do in your free time?

In my free time I explored the city. This included going to see the monuments, the Smithsonian museums, Georgetown, and restaurants in various locations around DC. I definitely used after work opportunities and weekends to fit as much into my schedule as I could in regards to exploring the city. One critical aspect for me was experiencing a multitude of different things around the city. One of my favorite activities was when I attended a Symphony on the West Lawn of the Capitol building. This was something that had been a completely new experience for me and something that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Recommendations for future DC interns?

My recommendation for future DC interns is to definitely take advantage of your time in DC by doing things you normally wouldn’t. You can do this in a number of different ways (i.e. attending different events, networking with your fellow interns and others, visiting different locations around the city) but I think what is most important is that you get out of your comfort zone.  I think by letting yourself be open to a number of different activities you expose yourself to new experiences that you may never have had the chance to before.