Dominican University alumna Robin Curran advocates for Immigration Reform while at Center for Community Change

/ Center for Community Change/
“Hello, my name is Robin Curran and I am a senior at Dominican University, located just outside Chicago, where I am a double major in Sociology and Italian. I came to D.C. because I wanted the opportunity to apply what I have learned in the classroom to a hands-on experience in the working world.

I am currently an intern at the Center for Community Change (CCC), which is a non-profit social justice organization that works to empower low-income people to improve their communities and the policies that impact their lives. During these last few months, I have done a lot of work on immigration reform. One of the highlights from my internship was helping to plan a weeklong event in which dozens of immigrant children came to D.C. to share their personal stories and pressure the House leadership to call a vote on reform. While they were in D.C. the children also had the chance to meet with three Civil Rights veterans who participated in the 1963 Children’s Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama. It was incredible to see the children connect with the Civil Rights veterans in their shared efforts to fight for positive social change.

Spending a semester in DC has been one of the best academic decisions that I have ever made. This city has offered endless possibilities for me to explore my interests, enhance my skills and gain insight from professionals. In just one semester, I am amazed at how much I have developed both personally and professionally.

If you would like to learn more about my internship experience and my adventures in DC, feel free to check out my blog: http://robincurran.weebly.com/”
— Robin Curran, Communications Intern at the Center for Community Change

Center for American Progress interns enjoy excitement of work, as well as extracurriculars

/ Center for American Progress/
“Living in the nation’s capital you quickly begin to recognize the city’s endless possibilities and potential. Washington has broadened my understanding of US policy, while nurturing my thoughts on foreign affairs, and challenging me to consider alternative ways of thinking. Like Foreign Service Officer Monty McGee shared with us at the Washington Internship Institute (WII) Orientation a few weeks back, in DC we live what others just read about.

Through this program I look forward to obtaining transferable skills in communications and presentation. It’s reported that young professionals of my generation will change careers up to seven times in their lifetime. Therefore, it’s imperative to learn how to learn, and increasing your skills. The more you know, the more marketable you become, the farther you’ll go in today’s world. At the WII my professor has inquired about our future career goals and is connecting us to key individuals in those fields of interest.

Last week I began interning at the Center for American Progress, in their ethnic media department. Part of my responsibilities consists of online communications and promotions, Puerto Rico news updates, and researching news sources referencing immigration reform and policy.

After work on Wednesday my supervisor asked me if I had anything to do later that evening. Living in DC you quickly realize that anything can happen at any given moment; hence, you should make yourself available and be flexible. My supervisor had tickets to attend the National Press Club screening of the new series Latino Americans, airing on PBS tomorrow night Tuesday, September 17, 2013. That evening I learned more about the Alamo’s rich history, recognized Latino history as American history, and had the opportunity to meet broadcasting journalists Ray Suarez.

Through the Washington experience I look forward to building important relationships that will open the doors to future success, while exercising my civic duties for good. Living exciting moments contests your ability to remain grounded on convictions, while running towards the mark ahead. ”
— David Davila, Center for American Progress intern and Farmingdale State College alumnus
“Hello, my name is Nicole Andolina. I am a junior at Nazareth College of Rochester. Before attending The Washington Internship Institute (WII) I had wanted to ask past WII alums about their experiences outside of the classroom and their internships. I would like to take this time and share my top three favorite “extracurricular” events that I have had the chance to be involved with here in D.C. They include:

1. National Conference on Citizenship: The National Conference on Citizenship was a two day event that included guest speakers, seminars, and a naturalization ceremony. As a volunteer I was able to meet everyone that attended, including Congressmen, and women, a four star general, and Washington Redskins Player, Alfred Morris

2. Robert F. Kennedy Journalism and Book Awards: This awards ceremony was a reality check of how important journalism is while combating social injustice. At the event I was able to snag a picture with Today show host Natalie Morales. Meeting such inspiring people was a great way to reinforce my desire to be here.

3. National Monument night walk: At the beginning of my stay here I was able to walk the National Mall at night. Seeing the national monuments all lit up was not only beautiful, but an exciting my way to begin my experiences here in D.C.

These are just a few of the events and experiences that I have been able to be a part of while here. It will be said time after time, but the experiences you have here in D.C. truly will be based on how much you make of it. I look forward to continually make the most of my time. With D.C. as your campus, you will never be bored.

Check out my blog for more on my adventures and advice! Nandolina.weebly.com”
— Nicole Andolina, Fall 2013 intern at Center for American Progress and Nazareth College student

Coastal Carolina student quickly learns the value of networking while in Washington, DC

/ US Attorney's Office/
“In the short time I have been in D.C. with the Washington Internship Institute, I have experienced a plethora of things that can be experienced few other places. For starters living in the nation’s capital you experience the things that people only read about, such as how the government shutdown effects the way the city is ran. But the experiences here from the internships and the D.C. life are only a small portion of what you do here. From day one with WII you will hear about networking, and begin experiencing it. With WII you meet so many people, beginning with the other students and then you will begin to meet professionals in the fields you want to explore. Many people who you wouldn’t be able to speak to as a professional will do so in D.C. because you are a student. While interviewing a high profile prosecutor at the United States Attorney’s Office I was given the contact information for more attorneys in the National Security department, which then led to an informational meeting with an FBI agent. As April Ryan, the White House Press Corp correspondent, told us in her meeting with our class, “It’s who you know that gets you in the door, and it’s what you know that keeps you there.” Coming to D.C. as an intern with WII is the most beneficial choice I have made as a student, because it gives you the connections you will use throughout your career to get to where you want to be.”
— Brian Edgerton, Fall 2013 Intern at US Attorney's Office

SUNY Plattsburgh student Michael Pelzer takes initiative as WOLA intern

/ Washington Office on Latin America/

Michael Pelzer, a senior International/Latin American Studies and History major from SUNY Plattsburgh, is currently interning in the Washington Office on Latin America as a part of the Regional Securities program. Michael talks about his experience below:

“My time at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) has been one of the most dynamic experiences of my life. I have had the opportunity to take part in historic events, meet prolific individuals in the human rights community, and feel as if I am doing a genuine service. My internship essentially breaks down into two divergent parts. My primary role is with the regional securities program where I have had the opportunity to write original research papers that have been published on the WOLA sponsored website Just the Facts, provided original research, and compiled information pertaining to arms transfers, civil military relationships and, military training. My secondary role is with the foundations program where I have provided foundation research, written grants, compiled interim reports, and assisted in the organization of funder events. Additionally I have taken on a number of unique tasks including live-streaming events, greeting diplomats, and of course making the odd pot of coffee.

The majority of these experiences and opportunities were not originally part of my internship, nor were they offered to me. By being proactive, identifying, and seeking out opportunities I was able to take on greater responsibility than most interns. My intern advisors and coordinators have rewarded my interest and drive by seating me with greater chances of success; the moral here is that if you want to do something, it never hurts to ask.”

SUNY College at Plattsburgh student Jan Rodriguez plans for international career at Partners for the Americas

/ Partners of the Americas/

Jan Rodriguez is a Latin American Studies student hailing from Plattsburgh State University. His internship is with a nonprofit called Partners of the Americas. Here, Jan is a Legislative Fellows intern where he is tasked with a wide range of responsibilities. Currently, he is working on a project that will provide him with transferable skills that he can use no matter where his career takes him. His organization will be participating in an international conference with attendees from the business and government sectors. Jan is researching best practices and resources for organizations doing strategic planning. He will compile his research into materials that will be used by his organization's President during a presentation at this international conference.

 

Cazenovia College student and Dance Place intern Kate Mitchell explores new paths to success in DC

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"Hi everyone! My name is Kate Mitchell and I am a junior at Cazenovia College located in Central New York. My time in D.C. through the Washington Internship Institute is more than halfway over! Time really does fly while you're here. I wanted to share a few of the things that I have learned here in the District-- things that have helped shape me as a young professional and as a person.

- You do not have to be a Law/Political Science major to thrive in D.C. As a Human Services major, I thought I would feel out of place. I was wrong! I am interning at a non-profit dance organization and I absolutely love it. There is a niche for everyone here, no matter what your focus. 

- Take every opportunity you can! I have been able to attend various events, ranging from political discussions to art galas. In fact, last night I attended a work event that featured a Hip-Hop group from Iraq. If anything sounds even a tiny bit interesting to you, go do it! You never know what you'll learn from these events-- or who you'll meet!

- The road to success is not straight and narrow. It is so easy to get on a track and stay there because it's easy and reliable. I am learning to apply the chaos theory to my personal goals. Not everything will go as expected and "plans" sometimes fall through. There are many avenues to take to get to your final destination, and you just have to be willing to take a leap of faith and explore them. 

I love being here in D.C. I already feel as if I have a deeper understanding of myself and how to get what I want out of life. I am excited to see what the next 2 months bring!"

 

Gustavus Adolphus student Nick Nigro plans high-level visits and exchanges while interning in US Coast Guard International Affairs office #dcintern

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"I arrive between 8:30 and 9 every morning.  I usually start by checking my email as their is inevitably an assignment I've been given between when I left the previous day and when I arrive.  If this is the case, I will start into that.  If not, I will browse news sites for a little while to see if anything dramatic has occurred that I ought to inform Lt. Cdr. McConnell on (i.e. anything with Russia-U.S. relations).  I will then get to work with whatever task I have been working on.  Some projects involve me researching and updating our information on different countries while other times I will be working for Mr. Oliver and checking the cost of crazy things such as postage and figuring out formulas to standardize adding the cost of postage into a longer much more complex system I am not involved with.  Often I am called into planning meetings as my office is in charge of planning the travel of the Commandant, the head of the Coast Guard.  But more often than not, I just spend the day in my cubicle, leisurely working on my projects, taking a lunch break whenever I am drawn away from my computer and leaving when I realize I will mentally not make anymore headway tonight.  I then pack up and head home anywhere between 4 and 5."

 

Roger Williams University student Alex Lunter helps run book campaign while interning at Embassy of Papua New Guinea

/ Embassy of Papua New Guinea/

"A normal day at work begins with an early morning alarm making sure I am awake promptly at 6:45 with a terrible, yet effective, alarm.  After my various morning responsibilities (showering, breakfast, making my lunch, doing dishes from last night, etc.) I meet Chris, my co-intern, in the lobby of the apartments.  From there, we walk to the metro beginning our morning commute, which involves a transfer to the red line, dropping us at Dupont Circle, where our office is.  Once in the office, I put my lunch in the staff fridge, and take my place at my desk.  First, I check for any emails I have received since the last time I was in my office, after I begin my various tasks of the day.  Some days we get given special projects that must be completed that day, but mostly we answer phones, assist the visa officer, Min, or conduct research for people who inquire about Papua New Guinea.  Our tasks vary from conducting and running a book program where we seek donations of unused or discontinued books from various facilities, as well as answer the basic calls and needs of those interested in Papua New Guinea.  We take lunch together as a staff since there are only a few of us, and during lunch we talk about what we have done that day as well as just random topics.  The internship, all in all, is fantastic, the staff is unbelievably nice and helpful and the work isn’t too stressful or tiresome."

 

@CCUChanticleers @WIIDC student Christopher Maj helps visitors interested in Papua New Guinea while intern at Embassy #dcintern

/ Embassy of Papua New Guinea/

"On a typical day at work at the Embassy of Papua New Guinea I usually arrive at the office around 8:46-8:50 in the morning depending on the Metro.  Once I get to the office I put my lunch in the fridge and make my way to the office. Once I get to my desk I immediately check emails sent to the Embassy of Papua New Guinea and I respond to those emails if necessary. Throughout the day the Embassy receives calls from people requesting the status of their visa. I take down their name and transfer their call to the visa officer and tell her the name of the person calling. Also, during the day people come to pick up their visas and passport and we have them sign their name and signature and date it in a ledger, then we give them their passport. Around 12:00p.m.-12:30p.m. everybody in the office usually takes an 1 hour lunch. Occasionally I will go with my supervisor and pickup lunch if we order food from a place instead of bringing our lunch. For most of the day the interns call and contact different organizations requesting a donation of books from these organizations to send to Papua New Guinea to spread literacy around the country. Occasionally, the interns at the Embassy of Papua New Guinea will attend conferences and talks given at think tanks around the city of D.C. Our boss encourages us to go to as many of these as possible. We usually leave the office around 5:00 p.m. That is a typical day at the Embassy of Papua New Guinea."

@NRCC intern and @colbysawyer alumnus Nick Ciarlante Learns the Right Side of Politics

/ National Republican Congressional Committee/

For the past ten weeks, Nick Ciarlante, a senior Business Administration major from Colby-Sawyer College learned what it meant to be on the right side of the political realm. Ciarlante, a registered Independent accepted a Communications Internship at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) this summer. Being a non-election cycle, Ciarlante made the most of his time at the NRCC in hopes of inspiration for a future career in politics himself. In the office by 8am each day, Ciarlante would read the news and prepare himself for the day ahead of him. Day-to-day routines changed, and some days were more exciting than others, but overall Ciarlante says that it was an exciting time at the NRCC. “The summer started off slow but quickly picked up with candidates and Members coming into our office daily. Working in the Communications Department I had the opportunity to be in the video studio and watch Representatives Paul Ryan, Scott Perry, Andy Barr, Tom Petri and many more come in for either a satellite interview or video recording. I also had the opportunity to watch media trainings for both current Members and candidates as well.” 

When he wasn’t in the video studio, Ciarlante was either at the front desk assisting the office manager or at his desk working on a variety of projects. Over the course of the summer, Ciarlante and his communications colleagues completed Congressional District press and radio distribution lists, Chief of Staff, Communications Director, and Scheduler databases for the Republican Members of Congress, completed the NRCC Surrogate App—which is a profile of the key Congressional elections across the country, and more. When asked about his overall thoughts about his internship Ciarlante said, “Though hesitant to accept the position in April, as I wanted to work in a Congressional Office, I am glad that I accepted this position with the NRCC. Working at the NRCC exposed me to many more opportunities than I would have received if I were in a Congressional Office. I had a great experience, but am amazed at how fast the summer has gone by.” Ciarlante hopes to continue his involvement in politics fresh out of college in 2014 when he and the GOP look to maintain control of the House of Representatives.

 

McGill University student guides Partners of the Americas Legislative Fellows on Social Media

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"I get to work at 9AM and usually go straight to my cubicle where I am greeted by the two other interns who sit next to me. I usually check and answer the emails I received, and then head over to my supervisors office. I update both of them on what I did the previous day, and then we plan what my daily tasks are. 

There isn't much fluctuation in what I do, since my role has been very clear since the start. I work closely with the Legislative Fellows Program and continuously update the candidates profiles who have applied. I then make sure that all their information is correct and included in the Excel spreadsheet created. This has to be closely monitored because on July 18th, all the Fellows will be coming to Partners of the Americas' office for Orientation before their experience in their host country.  Consequently, my role is to make sure that this process goes smoothly and that they are as prepared as can be. 

Additionally, in order to facilitate their experience, I am compiling a Social Media and Photo Documentation guideline. Both documents serve to help the Fellows in their time abroad to update Partners of the Americas and whomever else on their time away (this is done either via Twitter or Facebook). On one hand, the social media guideline brings together usable hashtags that can be related to the Program, as well as specific URLs linking them to key organizations (such as specific embassies). The Photo Documentation guideline on the other hand, is a user friendly document that highlights a step-by-step process in uploading pictures from their experience, as well as tips on how to take good pictures. 

I also work on program outreach. This means that I research organizations dealing with citizen advocacy and participation, transparency and legislative processes in the 8 specific Latin American countries the Program works with (Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay). This research is done in order to create new partnerships and target these organizations through social media to create awareness about the Legislative Fellows Program. 

Lastly, a large task is a overhaul of the Programs' webpage and a Program's logo design. I am currently redesigning their both. This entails graphic design and/or editing of current texts in English, Spanish and Portuguese.I will consequently be updating the webpage during my time here, and finalizing the logo in order for it to be used on t-shirts.

Throughout my day, I fluctuate between these tasks and finish at 5:30. Before leaving, I go see both of my supervisors providing them with a debrief of my day and letting them know what I will continue working on the following day."

 

#WIIDC intern, Madeline Brush, helps promote the Octagon Museum #AIAFinterns

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Madeline is always the first one to arrive at the museum, even before her boss arrives, so she starts the coffee and tea for everyone before digging into her work.

Usually, she looks at the list of past American Institute Architect Scholarship recipients and look them up on the internet because they do not have any of the recipients’ contact information. This consists of finding their information on linkedin.

Once she finds them, she contacts them to see if they would be willing to be interviewed. If they agree to be interviewed, she sets a date and a time to call for their interview and asks if they would agree for the interview to be recorded.

During the interview she inquires about their careers and how the scholarship helped them through school. After the interview is finished, she listens to the recording of the interview, and transcribes it.

On some days, Madeline is tasked with writing press releases for the Octagon House Museum. As a part of the communication team, she is also responsible for updates to the social media accounts daily, and comes up with new ideas to post on the sites.

 

 

Check out her blog here: Madeline Meets the World 

Myah assists strategic shift of US Coast Guard's policy to Asia/Pacific

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At the US Coast Guard International Affairs office, we work on advising the policy side of the Coast Guard. My supervisor is the regional advisor for Europe. In other words, he helps shape the Coast Guard’s policies and involvement with countries in Europe. There are really only four countries that the Coast Guard cares about in Europe: Russia, UK, France, and the Netherlands. They also work with the European Union. As my supervisor shifts to the Asia/Pacific, I assist him in closing the projects he has in Europe. The main country we have projects with is Russia because we share the Bering Strait with them, and they are an important Arctic nation. I have helped him prepare for meetings with the Flag officers (Commanders, Captains, and Admirals) as well as draft bios, letters, and emails regarding events to international forums and with international visitors. Furthermore, I was previously the Foreign Visits intern before they recently hired a permanent Foreign Visits Coordinator. My role was to input foreign visitor information into a database that will organize the information for the counterintelligence agents that will vet the visitors. I also helped the regional advisors in my office organize visits that they were having with foreign officials. My daily job was to send out an email to the sponsors of visits at various Coast Guard units that listed the new upcoming visits. If they had any concerns, they would email me back at our common email address and I would help get to the bottom of the issue. Many times my job involved investigating any issues that someone was having with their visit. Also, I helped informed people of our new system.

     

Future broadcaster learns while behind the scenes at CBS Evening News

/ CBS News- Washington Bureau/

During my semester in D.C. I interned at the CBS News Washington Bureau. While there I interned in two different departments. Primarily I interned with the CBS Evening News. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays I worked with Evening News. On Wednesdays I worked with the Special Events Unit. Each department featured different tasks that I would carry out on a daily basis although in the news world you never really know what you will be working on from day to day.

On the days that I worked with Evening News I would work in the newsroom with our producers and correspondents. Every day offered a different task as I would basically help with whatever they needed assistance on. For the most part I would log a lot of video, specifically interviews that had been done. Logging is the process of watching the tape and writing down what the people on the video are saying and keeping track of what they said at what time.

Sometimes I would help out with research on certain stories or help a producer research a topic for an upcoming story. On the more exciting days in Evening News I would actually have the opportunity to go out in the field. Two of my favorite days of that kind were when I went to Newport News, Virginia to see President Obama speak at a shipyard and when I had the opportunity to be outside the Supreme Court while the court heard arguments in the DOMA case.

Working with Special Events was a much different experience than the days with Evening News. The Special Events unit handles a lot of the logistics behind putting the president on TV and other large events such as the State of the Union and inaugurations. Much of the work that I did with Special Events was helping out my boss Kia who was one of the special events producers. I would assist her with anything that she needed help with ranging from logging video from the inauguration to putting together a booklet of possible contenders for the papacy. Special Events is a unique branch of CBS News because whenever a major event occurs or is planned the team has to work together to plan out all of the logistics and prepare for what they need to do to get the event on air.

No matter which department I worked in I was always involved in the process of putting the news on the air someway, somehow. This internship has taught me more about news production that I have ever known before. It solidifies my strong opinion that internships are really how you figure out what type of job is a good fit for you and also the best way to get the hands on experience needed to succeed. This internship has helped to confirm the fact that journalism is the industry I need to work in to be happy.