Coming from The Citadel Military College of South Carolina, National Security and International Affairs play a large role in not only the ROTC department, but in multiple other civilian majors as well. I decided to make the most out of this summer by finding an incredible first internship as well as a potential graduate school at The Institute of World Politics. The option to audit a graduate level course at IWP gives the internship a considerable edge against others. The internship program at IWP, in my opinion, competes with the top political research internships in the city.
For me, the most rewarding element of the internship was the interns’ access to a prestigious network of IWP alumni, with whom we were able to meet during open house and speed mentoring events. The alumni network’s respectability is one of the most beneficial aspects of IWP.
During my IWP internship, I developed my experience, knowledge, communication, work ethic, teamwork, and critical thinking through my projects at the Institute. I was assigned to work under the head of the Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies, Dr. Marek Jan Chodakiewicz, and his assistant Maria Juczewska. I reviewed and summarized over 30 Kosciuszko Chair videos and podcasts, which consisted of lectures and events held at IWP over the past year. These provided me a chance to learn more about current events in NATO, the European Union, the United Nations, and Russia. Moreover, I was given the opportunity to go to the National Archives and Library of Congress to pull articles and periodicals in support of Kosciuszko Chair research. Dr. Chodakiewicz also assigned me supporting readings on the Balkan region of Eastern Europe to help further my grasp on the area, which is the region on which I hope to base my career someday.
The second part of my internship included being a member of the “Skybox” team, where I worked under Ms. Allie Bimber on the coordination and planning of events. Some library work and phone shifts also provided me with a better understanding of how IWP operates on a daily basis. My utmost respect is given to all of those who have taken their time to mentor and push me to excel within this internship program. IWP has made it possible for me to narrow down my decision of post undergrad study and career choice. The Institute of World Politics internship will help to propel me into my future career in International/Foreign Relations. I fully intend to make more cadets from The Citadel aware of the IWP internship position, as well as the graduate program it provides.
Niko Jones
Intern, Summer 2018