U.S. Department of State

Intern

May - July 2018 • Washington, DC

What I liked

Learning about the Department of State and Diplomacy.

What I wish was different

The internship was unpaid.

Advice

Be prepared to learn, and always be willing to step outside your comfort zone.

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Political intern

May - July 2018 • Colombo, Sri Lanka

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

Be open to any projects assigned to you. Also, know that what you expect going in will probably not be anything like your experience.

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Foreign Service Institute Intern

July - August 2018 • Arlington County, VA

What I liked

I enjoyed learning about Department culture and what it entails to be a Foreign Service Officer.

What I wish was different

Getting paid.

Advice

One piece of advice is go to every intern event and network with other interns not just employers.

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Intern

May - July 2018 • Washington, DC

What I liked

Seeing diplomacy in action was very thought provoking. I got to see what I study in the classroom actually in practice.

What I wish was different

They gave us a lot of flexibility but I wish the experience was a bit more structured in advance so that there were clearer learning goals.

Advice

If you do not ask, the answer is an automatic no. Do not be afraid to ask if you can help out with a certain project or grab coffee with someone who you believe can help guide you or be a good mentor!

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Front Office Intern - Oceans, Environment, Science Bureau

June - August 2018 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I was given the responsibility to work on the same kind of work that permanent staffers do. My supervisor trusted me with copy editing speeches, memos, and internal reporting products. The subject matter of all the materials fascinated me, given that I study energy and environmental policy. I enjoyed feeling like the work I was doing was important for achieving US foreign policy goals within environmental diplomacy. I also got to work on my editing skills, which is both valuable and transferable.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Regional Security Intern

June - August 2017 • Budapest, Hungary

What I liked

I loved the constant change involved with my job. I didn't have a day to day schedule, which made going to work exciting every day.

What I wish was different

I wish I had chosen a post that involved language and more of my Homeland Security/immigration focused background.

Advice

You have to ask for work, and make sure you spend a day or two learning about other sections of the embassy. It will give you a much more well-rounded experience.

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