I recently finished my internship for The Institute of World Politics during the Summer 2015 semester. I am a senior undergraduate student, pursuing a career in counterterrorism intelligence, so when I discovered the IWP internship, I was excited about how closely it seemed to fit with my career aspirations. The internship experience exceeded my expectations, and this truly says a lot because my expectations were incredibly high.
During the internship, I continually found myself amazed at the access I had to people with remarkable resumes and personal experience in career fields that I am interested in. The interns attended various lecture lunches with professors who shared their incredible knowledge and expertise on subjects such as jihad ideology, the Cold War, and CIA covert action. Their willingness to sit down and have conversations with interns about our potential career paths without flaunting their resumes pleasantly surprised me. They know how to use their experience to cultivate growth in their students and interns without making them feel inferior. They are genuinely dedicated to investing in the future generation of leaders in the government and intelligence community.
Through the internship, I also got the opportunity to tour the Pentagon and see some incredible behind-the-scenes areas. I soaked it all in, and my desire to pursue a career in intelligence analysis was rejuvenated because of the tour. My career goals were reinforced, and I am hoping to move permanently from California to DC as soon as I get the opportunity. IWP gives me hope for the future of the United States, as it instills foundational values and principles into its students’ minds that the country desperately needs revived.
Before this internship, I thought I might like to pursue my Master’s through the IWP Strategic Intelligence program, but I was not entirely sold on it. However, now that I have spent two months getting to know the school and the people who work there, I am completely convinced that there is no graduate school I would rather attend. IWP offers everything that I am looking for in a graduate program, and I am looking forward to the day I can attend as a student.