I first heard about The Washington Center in January, thinking it would be a great opportunity to gain some networking and working experience later on in my under-graduate education. I was hesitant to apply; just coming into my second semester at UAA, I had little to no experience in formal networking or working in an office environment, but after speaking with Judy Owens-Manley, Director of the Center for Community Engagement & Learning, and other students who had completed the program, I decided to give it a shot. A few weeks later, I got a call from my Washington Center advisor to set up interviews with a few different organizations and before I knew it, I was packed and on a plane to DC for the summer. I spent my time working as a recruitment intern at the DC Headquarters of an international
non-profit called Search for Common Ground (Search), which specializes in sustainable peacebuilding and conflict resolution in 36 countries around the globe. I helped manage job postings on their external website and learned how to source and evaluate candidates for a variety of positions in Search.
My supervisor supported my drive to learn new skills by assigning me new tasks and projects, even if I was unsure of how to approach them. Many times a vague assignment would be nerve wracking at first, but I soon found that I was able to problem solve and work through the specifics on my own. Her supervising style allowed me a lot of independence in the way I approached new projects throughout my internship, which helped raise my confidence in my ability to contribute in the workplace.
Along with my internship, I took an evening course on US-China Relations, and completed a variety of professional development and career exploration programs throughout the week.
I’m still unsure of what I want to pursue after my degree, and I found that this uncertainty
was actually helpful in a lot of ways. Instead of being limited by a specific career field focus,
my flexibility and curiosity allowed me to explore many different potential paths. I met and
talked with people in many different fields, from foreign service officers to think tank
researchers and human rights campaigners.
Throughout the summer, I challenged myself to step outside my comfort zone. I attended
a variety of events alone and challenged myself to meet at least one new person each time.
Attending lectures and panel discussions allowed me to be exposed to a vast range of
viewpoints and explore different interests.Being in such a vibrant and politically charged
city, I was excited to explore new opportunities for volunteering and civic action within the DC community. I participated in a Social Justice Intergroup Dialogue program one night
every other week, where my fellow interns and I had the opportunity to explore and discuss
a wide variety of issues including: gender, racial, and income inequality, Native rights,
LGBTQ issues, and environmental justice.
I also attended a variety of rallies and civic action events over the summer. I took part in a
march and rally with the Poor People’s Campaign, and attended multiple “End Family
Detention” rallies, even taking part in a Non-Violent Civil Disobedience training with the
organizers of the Women’s March and demonstrating with them the next day.
By the end of the summer, I had networked with DC professionals with careers in
international affairs, worked with some amazing people at Search for Common Ground,
earned a Civic Engagement Award, and made lasting connections with young professionals
from across the country. The experience gave me a lot of confidence in myself and my
ability to utilize my professional network throughout my academic career and in preparation
for my future career search. I’ve become more comfortable with networking in both
formal and informal settings and refined a lot of my goals for the coming years.
I’ve also realized how crucial self-reflection is while determining my career path.
By gaining new experiences like this, I am able to learn by doing and actively figure out
if different fields are right for me. I look forward to applying the skills I’ve learned as I
move forward in my professional career and I’m excited to encourage other UAA
students to take up similar opportunities!
