After graduating from American University’s School of International Service last May, I found myself unsure of what I wished to pursue for my first real job after college. I felt passionate about my studies at AU, particularly my thematic areas of political economics and foreign policy. However, I was unsure how to transfer my academic passions into a professional career.
Thankfully, this past winter, I discovered the wonderful internship program at The Institute of World Politics, where I worked as an intern on the Events and Communications team with Lana Houle, Noelle Heineman, and Carlos Alatorre. Over the course of my internship, I participated in a variety of duties that helped the events team function, such as writing reports of events for the IWP website, organizing attendee lists and staff plans, setting up Marlatt Mansion for guest lectures and President’s dinners, photographing events, and more. The most important lesson I learned was the value of teamwork and cooperation in making events run smoothly.
I have also had the pleasure of attending almost all the events that our team has hosted since January, which has further expanded my understanding of the intelligence community, national security objectives, and diplomatic relations between our allies and adversaries. My favorite event that we hosted was the Erase the Nation documentary screening, which captured the cultural impact of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
I also had the pleasure of delivering weekly intelligence and policy briefings with the IWP research interns led by Missy Pratt. These briefings greatly enhanced my public speaking abilities and allowed me to practice synthesizing current events issues into succinct, two-minute reports. As a cohort, we all participated in a variety of engaging activities, such as our Thursday outings to various notable locations throughout the DMV, and our Friday war games sessions. Our visits to the Pentagon, Capitol Building, Department of Justice, a Senate Hearing, and the DIA headquarters provided me with valuable insight into the inner workings of the U.S. government. Through all my experiences at IWP, I found myself most fascinated by the intelligence community and its private sector affiliates.
I greatly appreciate the past three months I have spent at IWP. I have learned so much about myself from the faculty, staff, guest speakers, and my fellow interns. Now, I have a much more precise understanding of what specific sector of intelligence I would like to work on going forward. Coming out of this experience, I feel professionally rejuvenated and inspired for the next chapter of my career. Even as times remain uncertain in D.C., I am confident in myself and my peers to deliver the best that this country has to offer.
Chris Yandell
American University Class of 2024
Events and Communications Intern at IWP, Spring 2025