When I applied for the Events and Communications internship at IWP, I had no idea what was in store for me. Internship programs are available at organizations across D.C., and the options seemed endless. Upon arriving at IWP, I realized that my responsibilities were much more legitimate than any other internship I had experienced before. I remember my first task had to do with gathering alumni data, which is when I realized that a large portion of IWP alumni worked at high-profile organizations or government agencies. Although this fact seemed daunting at the time, after meeting the students, professors, and IWP alumni, I realized how approachable and willing they were to engage with fellow interns and everyone they met.
As an events and communications intern, my daily tasks aided me in navigating what it takes to successfully carry out an event with individuals who work in government or in other interesting and important places throughout our nation’s capital. Meeting and engaging with speakers was one of my favorite parts of working at IWP. On one occasion, I was helping with an IWP event at which members of the White House National Security Council were speaking. After the event, I found myself talking with them, and, at the end of our conversation, a member of the NSC offered to give me a tour of the White House, which I later was able to go on with my fellow interns. This opportunity completely fell into my lap and is one that I will truly never forget. Interning at IWP and helping with events put me in such a situation where I was continually interacting with high profile professionals, which overall contributed to my professional growth.
The events and communications team at IWP also taught me a lot about what it takes to run a business in D.C and how much effort goes into planning and executing successful events. It took a lot of detail-oriented minds coming together and planning events that furthered the education of students and promoted the ideals of the Institute in an engaging manner, and I feel lucky to have been a part of that team. From gaining experience with social media platforms to online databases and software, I was able to gain first-hand experience that will aid me in future internships and jobs.
Patricia Katsamakis
Fall 2019