U.S. Department of State

Office of the Historian Intern

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

My work, my colleagues, my location. The Top Secret Security clearance let me read through hundreds of pages of classified documents from the 80s and 90s, some of which I was the 5th or 6th person to ever see. I had satisfying long term projects and exciting short term ones, ensuring my work continued to remain engaging. My colleagues were excellent. Very casual and personable, as well as willing to share their wealth of personal experiences and connections in the Diplomatic and Intelligence communities. Because of their connections, I was fully able to take advantage of my location. I got to visit and speak with professionals in the CIA, National Security Archive, various museums, and other State Dept. Bureaus. A very engaging experience to say the least.

What I wish was different

The summer is very chill there. Between vacations, field-work, and telecommuting, some days there were just as many interns as full employees in the building. There were only 3 interns in an office of (theoretically) 30 people. While this means you get to do a lot of independent work, it also felt slow at times. I wish the experience had more kinetic and fast-paced days.

Advice

This is a place where you need to take initiative, ask for tasks, find opportunities, and make what you want of it. There are lots of very cool people in this office, but they are also very chill and won't push try to push you too hard. You need to be the driving force of your experience.

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Intern

May - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I liked that it was very hands on, and I was given the opportunity to attend and take part in amazing events.

What I wish was different

The commute was a little bit difficult.

Advice

I would say that people should not refrain from applying somewhere, out of fear if not getting the job. Take a chance!

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Summer Intern

May - August 2019 • Arlington County, VA

What I liked

I loved working with Diplomatic Security special agents in the field performing protective services.

What I wish was different

I wish I had longer!

Advice

Wake up early and be willing to volunteer for every opportunity that pops up!

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Public Affairs Intern

May - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I worked for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and I had the experience to work on multiple exchange programs and meet so many people. I was truly allowed to take initiative and produce deliverables for every campaign.

What I wish was different

The bureaucratic nature of the organization made some processes rather slow.

Advice

Talk about what you are passionate about in your statement of interest. Readers for each Bureau and Office respond really well to that.

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Intern

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

Fast- paced, engaging, impactful work.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Intern

June - August 2019 • Gaborone, Gaborone

What I liked

I got to participate in meaningful work and the schedule changed every day!

What I wish was different

I would not change anything.

Advice

I highly recommend working overseas; the cultural and work aspects of the internship both contributed to making this a great experience.

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Intern

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I loved being exposed to so many different meetings and events happening around me. I felt like I was in the center of international affairs and I was able to learn and see so much from taking notes at briefings, attending conferences, and going to think tank panels. I was also fortunate enough be interning in the International Religious Freedom Office which was hosting the 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, so I got to help put that together.

What I wish was different

I wish I was able to work on a longer-term personal project. Since I was assigned to different regional teams, my tasks varied a lot and were more short-term.

Advice

Take initiative and use the opportunity to attend a bunch of events and coffee chat with staff.

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Public Affairs Intern

June - August 2019 • Singapore, Central Region

What I liked

I loved being able to do meaningful work and attend programs I helped plan. Interning helped me to realize that I want to work for the Foreign Service in the future.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Global Financial Analysis Intern

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

Mentoring environment; gained knowledge of and experience with various Federal departments and bureaus and their respective responsibilities. Made personal connections with many State officials.

What I wish was different

Marketed as a finance internship; though its focus was on operational efficiency. Still some finance involved, but not as much as I initially believed.