What inspires you to work in public service?
Public Service stands out to me for multiple different reasons. It's a way to have your voice and ideas heard, while helping improve the world around you, and the lives of the people around you. The combination of those two possibilities makes public service an incredibly appealing field for me to end up in.
What is your major, and do you have any minors or specializations?
Majoring in History, Political Science, and Global Studies
What coursework or academic experiences have most shaped your interests in policy, leadership or public service?
Classes on International Relations, American Foreign Policy, and my time in Model United Nations have helped me find my passions in national defense, international security, and how US Foreign Policy choices influences that.
What specific skills or experiences do you bring to your internship?
Working on the administrative side of a think tank seems like the perfect blend of my past experiences and future aspirations. My organizational, planning, and communication skills that I've built through my previous jobs and experience managing projects and conducting surveys will help me in my specific role as an Academic Programs Intern, and the research skills I've built through my academic career will help me prepare for a future career at a think tank.
What strengths do you most rely on when collaborating with others?
I rely most on my communication skills, because I believe that communicating openly and often benefits any team.
What are your career goals and how do you hope this fellowship will support your professional journey?
I hope to pursue my Masters in Security Studies at a school in DC, then continue in for a career with a think tank in research roles, or in the government, specifically State, Defense, or something in the Intelligence Community. I could also see myself continuing my schooling and pursuing a PhD, and I think the research skills that I will improve during this fellowship, as well as the professional skills and connections I will build in DC will help me to secure those goals.
What is your favorite or most impactful project from a previous role?
Last summer, during my internship with the African Impact Foundation in Livingstone, Zambia, one of my jobs every morning was to travel to different schools in Livingstone. At each school we'd visit, we would survey the kids that the Foundation was helping to sponsor through school. Using their answers, I created posters for the donors, and helped brainstorm ways we could improve their sponsorship. Being able to connect and work with the kids to help meet their needs and celebrate their achievements has been the most impactful thing I've ever done, both for me, and for the kids.
