The best thing about being an intern at IWP is having the ability to participate in countless unique and meaningful learning opportunities.
I was able to take a graduate course on terrorist propaganda, write scripts for a video game highlighting human rights crises, and attend speaker events addressing today’s foreign policy dilemmas.
In all of these instances, the IWP community has made me feel extremely welcomed and included. Whether it was through class discussion or intern research groups, IWP gave me a unique platform to voice my opinions and ideas, which were always appreciated and respected by those around me.
Overall, this internship has really challenged me to go outside of my comfort zone. From the incredibly worldly and knowledgeable professors to the robust network of IWP alumni spread out across the U.S. Government, I am constantly learning and being inspired by those around me.
My experience at IWP has not only been hands on in the sense that in my day-to-day work I am assisting in researching and writing about topics that pique my interest, but also in the sense that I am constantly able to interact with people whose careers I aspire to pursue. Being at IWP has opened up paths that I hadn’t considered before, lined with a web of invaluable connections to continue learning from along the way.
Through this internship experience, I feel much better prepared to enter the public service job market after graduating next spring. The last eight weeks have granted me a front row seat to the world of international affairs through the many professionals and government officials I have met, the events both in and out of IWP I have attended, and the research I have conducted on a team of fellow interns.
Through the sense of community and the positive environment within IWP, I now not only have a much better grasp on what specifically in public service I would like to do when I graduate in the spring, but also the kind of place and the kind of people I’d like to surround myself with.