Summertime in DC

Summer is almost over.. but not quite! I am planning to really take advantage of the last few days of summer before school starts in 2 weeks. Because I have been here over the summer enjoying the heat and the humidity, I’ve tried to get out to see things that I normally can’t get off campus to do.

Some of the highlights:

I have been to several Nationals games this summer that have been really fun- not only are they cheap with your student ID card (the $10 tickets become half off!), but there are plenty of fun things that have also happened near the Nats stadium. I went to a Food Truck Fiesta at the fairgrounds, and this weekend I’m going to a concert after the Nats game Saturday night. It’s easy to get to on metro and a blast! They even sell $5 hats outside so that you can really look like a true Washingtonian.

I have started to explore the culinary streets of DC, starting with Oohs and Ahhs on U Street. This restaurant combines soul food with Southern flair to leave you with a full belly and a happy soul. Along with 5 friends, we managed to try the baked chicken, mac and cheese, collard greens, green beans, fried catfish, grits, sweet tea, and homemade lemonade. Everything was delicious- I recommend asking for half sweet tea half lemonade for a delicious summer drink. I have also been to new restaurants, like Alero and Grillfish, as well as stopping by my favorite joints, Lauriol Plaza for example.

Working right near the Capitol has also allowed me to get out to the museums after work. Jazz in the Sculpture gardens, the Air and Space Museum, and the Botanic Garden for example. The Botanic Garden is my new favorite spot in DC and I recommend it to anyone, even if you are just visiting! As you approach the Capitol from the mall, walk up the right hand side on the block before the Capitol and stop into the Botanic Gardens. You can sit and eat your lunch at the First Lady Fountain, or check out the Hawaii room. They have so many different species of plants it's ridiculous.

And finally being 21, I’ve tried some fun bars. Bier Baron was a stopping point last night for my friend Emma’s birthday, as she is a beer lover who spent her time abroad in Amsterdam. They have over 500 bottled/canned beers, along with around 20 nice options on tap. For $5-$9 beers, I was quite happy to try a new beer and sit around at their cozy wooden tables. They also have a 5-7 PM happy hour special where you can get a draft beer and a burger for $10! They do card right at the entrance because you have to be 21 to go into the tavern, so it’s not an option unless you are of-age.

I’ve also made it my goal to explore more during the school year- hopefully I’ll have the time during my senior year to really take advantage of this city before I begin in the working world.

Happy Wednesday night everyone!

- Marisa

Wow, July?!

How did it become.. July!?

Summer has crept up on DC at an alarming rate, with thunderstorms bringing in some cool relief from the 100 degree heat while taking out air conditioning in homes and workplaces in Virginia, Maryland, and DC. The heat index is unlike anything I've ever experienced before- I have never spent a summer outside of Oregon! My obsession with the weather also stems from the current internship position I have.

I am working at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the International Affairs Division. It has been my first experience working for the federal government and I must say that I am enjoying it thus far. Every morning, I am able to watch the Daily Operations Brief on FEMA internal television- which shows the weather patterns across the United States as well as the developing emergency management issues. I have already learned a lot about fire departments, mass care, FEMA organization during a disaster, and diplomacy through the work I've helped out with.

My office is extremely dynamic, and being a paid intern really helps me feel like part of the group. I am doing work that I know is useful and that another employee would be working on without my presence. This is a really important thing to seek out when looking for internships, because at the end, you should be experienced like any one else in the office (to a slightly lower level, but still).

The only hard part about this job so far has been working 8:30am to 5pm daily. I can't believe how tired I have become!! I am slowly getting used to it, but I think working a 40 hour week is a great experience that really symbolizes what it will be like to work in the "real world," whatever that is.

Hope everyone is staying cool!

- Marisa

#Summer2012

Hey y'all

This past week on Monday I began my marketing internship at GlobalGiving. With a mission that "catalyzes a global market for ideas, information, and money that democratizes aid and philanthropy" I know I can feel good about my work everyday. At our downtown DC office I'll be posting to Facebook, Tweeting, and blogging for our project leaders while also learning more about the interntional development sector. The work enviornment has been fantastic so far with 17 other interns, ice cream socials, and free t-shirts! I'll make a special photo post about the GG office soon.
My job this summer is in the GW School of Business as an Admissions Assistant for MBA Programs. With nearly 3 years of experience in the Office of Undergraduate Admissons it's a very different experience now working with graduate students. This offers a new perspective on the University and has provided me with a great insight into what it takes to be a successful candidate for grad school.

While I do have my days planned 9-5 Monday through Friday I'm pysched to be spending my time in our nation's capital! I'll be able to explore the city more freely knowing that I don't have essays or reading to be done. And with all the interns coming from across the country it's great to meet new people who are doing amazing things at other schools. But most importantly the most energy will be coming in three day spurts from all the CIs! This time of year is always special as our next class of eager Colonials learn what G dubs is all about while also experiencing the mass volume of free food that is GW. I'll take some pictures of the CI session 1 that is this week to show y'all what it's like!


All the best,
Oscar
@myworthynotes | oscarn@gwmail.gwu.edu 

Lesson #008: Internships and job opportunities can very well be the spice of life.

Lesson #008: Internships and job opportunities can very well be the spice of life.

Interning experiences come in all shapes and sizes.

Finals have come to an end. Commencement on the National Mall (Brian Williams, famous for his roles as a journalist and for his frequent cameos on 30 Rock) was less than 24 hours ago. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors have largely filed out in preparation for summer vacations laden with sand, sleep, and sun, while seniors are putting their final preparations on a little thing called “life” as they ready themselves to “leave the nest” of GW’s campuses and classrooms. Meanwhile, scores of individuals in suits file into Foggy Bottom.

There is a stereotype about GW students that they can leave their residence halls in business attire and not stand out. While this is not entirely true, it does speak to the fact that GW students are the ones “suiting up” to take advantage of the opportunities DC and the GW network have to offer. GW’s career centers deserve a ton of credit for providing hundreds of opportunities to students from thousands of employers. On the other hand, GW is in a place that makes professional growth readily possible and is quick to establish those “links for life” for students, bridging any gaps between the University and the District, as well as the world community.

Non-Colonials also take advantage of these opportunities by coming to GW and DC during the summer. For these past few days, I have heard more about summer internships than ever before. From Capitol Hill to U Street and from the Pentagon to the White House, visitors are taking advantage of opportunities that GW students have year-round. I, for one, will continue my internship at an organizational by the name of No Labels (@NoLabelsOrg). Interestingly enough, through GWork (our online professional network), the organization found me--- and I love it there so much that I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon!

This picture was posted on the No Labels Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/NoLabels) for 184,000+ people to see. Obviously, I was ecstatic! On this day in particular, me and another intern went door-to-door, telling everyone about No Labels and the available internship opportunities.

In my internship, similar to the experiences of countless other Colonials, it is not about coffee runs and making copies. It’s about getting life experience as well as professional experience and growing from that—as you get to see your contributions make a difference. During our fall, spring, and summer sessions, we Colonials can take advantage of the District of Columbia (and we do!). In general, the vast majority of GW students do! In fact, I have met someone who has had 9 internships in her four years here! Live a little!

The No Labels team of staff and interns!

Looking to kickstart your career or just test the waters in a field you are considering for a career? At GW, look no further than the businesses and organization surrounding you in the beautiful capital city! You'll come out of it with great experience as well as fantastic friends and endless memories that you will never forget.

Stay Spirited,

Matt

mtscott@gwu.edu

Back Again!

Hello!

See? I told you you'd be hearing from me a lot more often. I'm back to talk even more about how much I love my internship!

I know what you're probably thinking. "Ok, so they certainly make it seem like you're important. And you're doing things that matter. But anyone could tweet or post blogs, so it's really just your time they value and not you specifically, right?" Wrong!  Today I'm going to tell you a story that proves otherwise.

It was a Monday, about halfway through the semester, and I'd officially been an intern for about four months (since November). It happened to be a day where not a whole lot of people were in the office, and my boss was in a lunch meeting. So another person who works for the company, specifically the CSO (the S is for strategy), asked me to join him and another employee for lunch. I was surprised because I didn't think the CSO liked me very much, but didn't want to pass up because I knew it'd be a great networking opportunity (and everyone at GW has an undeclared minor in networking).

So we walked to Potbelly together and met with another employee, in charge of customer relations, who'd only been working with the company for about a week. She spent a lot of the time we were eating asking questions about the company and our product in an attempt to better understand it. Then she said that she was working on a project for my boss but needed some help with it, and asked a question about how exactly our product works and how we can sell it. The CSO, who gives sales pitches once or twice a week, gave her a thorough answer. And then they both turned to me.

To put it lightly, I was shocked. "I'm just an intern," I thought. "Why do they care what I think?" But it turns out they did. Not only did she listen to my suggestions, but she even wrote them down. And agreed that some of them were really good! Although, admittedly, I didn't have a whole lot left to say after the CSO had given all of his suggestions.

And this wasn't a one-time fluke due to inexperience. Since then I've been asked a lot of questions about important things, by multiple people in the company. Just yesterday morning I spent about an hour discussing the future of our product and how I thought it could be improved.

The point is, just because you're an intern doesn't mean you don't matter. And even bigger, when you get an internship in DC, you're not just getting a volunteer coffee-getting position. You're going to be actively involved in the place you're interning for, learning and growing, and if you're lucky helping your company/organization do the same!

And hey. Sometimes my boss even offers to get me coffee. :-)

Until next time!
Jennifer

I'm Back!

Hey Guys!

I know, it's been forever since I've written anything. I'm sorry! It's because I was super busy in April coordinating Admitted Student Days and tours for all of you lovely people, and then all of a sudden it was exam time! But I'm back! And I'll be blogging a lot this summer, so you'll start hearing from me MUCH more often. Starting now. :-)

For the next few posts I want to write about my internship. You know, that thing where you get coffee for people in the office a couple hours a week. Except not at my internship. Not at any GW student's internship, really, but I can only tell you about mine.

I love my internship. And the reason for that is my company actually does a really good job of making me feel important! Exhibit A:

 

Me, having a title and a section on the "Team" page of our website

And it goes beyond just giving me an official title and letting me be recognized on the website - it continues through their actions, too. Are the things I do on a daily basis (tweeting, scouring through HR blogs, updating databases) always fascinating? No. But are they important to the company? Yes. And are they valuable to my learning? Absolutely.

For example, from having read over 200 human resources-related blog posts, I now know more about HR than I ever thought I would, being an engineer. And my work on our Twitter account has directly led to our followers growing to five times as many as we had when I first started! Even the blog posts I've written (yes, sometimes I blog for them too) have been pretty popular, and my boss makes a point of showing me the page views.

But the best part? I believe in what I do. Rather than getting paid the stipend they were originally planning on giving me, I'm actually going to be getting $500 worth of stock in the company. Now THAT'S cool.

Look for part two of me talking about how much I love my internship within the next few days. :-)

Until next time!
Jennifer

In Transition

To all incoming members of The George Washington University Class of 2016, congratulations! If you haven't already received notification, you should within the next few days. For more information, be sure to check out the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website.

For everybody reading, I wanted to write a brief note about the admissions experience.

Waiting for those college acceptance letters can be tough. I still remember how concerned I was during the college admissions process. From my perspective, four years later, the most important thing about the experience is to learn as much as you can from it.

Stoicism is noble; it also fulfills general curriculum requirements

Even if I hadn't realized that decision letters were going out, I might very well have ended writing on this topic: it turns out graduating from college brings some of the same excitement, and the some of the same stress, as one feels going in. Waiting to hear back from prospective employers about interviews isn't easy--nor is waiting to hear those graduate school acceptances. Even when you are admitted or hired, financial considerations can complicate matters further.

There's no easy answer for any of the challenges life throws at us. But the same things that make college applications competitive--hard work, an early start, and perseverance--can really make the difference going out as well.

Whether you're at GW or another institution, that admissions season feeling will keep cropping up. Just keep working hard, and everything will work out.

Adam
--
Next Time: More on my job search. For admitted students, I'll also share my personal "Top Ten Reasons to Choose GW."

The Great Senior Job Search

Good morning Readers,

Sorry it's been a while since my last post! I have been immersed in a job search to make sure I'm a productive member of society following graduation (as of tomorrow, two months away).

On the bright side, I have a lot of great experiences to share with anybody interested in how GW can give you a leg up in this important task. Here's a brief outline of how I've leveraged GW's resources over the past month.

1. Start with the basics: The GW Career Center was my first stop. I realized that, while targeted resumes are great, it really helps to make sure they're targeted to the right employers! I also sent in several cover letters for review and got some very helpful feedback form the Career Center staff through the 24-hour Resume Critique Service.








2. Research: Professors and employers have been very valuable in pointing me in the right directions, proving the concrete value of the community GW students enter. GW's employment database, GWork, is also a great place to find jobs ranging from summer house-sitting to full-time research positions. I can't count the number of hours I've spent researching prospective employers. Since GWork contains employer profiles, it's a great springboard and a valuable resource.

3. Apply: I'm proud to be able to list a GW education at the top of my resume. Particularly in International Affairs, there are very schools that can compare to the quality of the Elliott School's academic programs. The number of high-ranking officials who have chosen to associate themselves with GW bears this out. In the Obama Administration, this number includes the Under Secretary of the Navy, who taught at GW, and the Assistant Secreatary of State for Arms Control, an alumna. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell received an MBA from GW, and many flag and general officers in the U.S. Armed Forces have also graduated with GW degrees.

4. Follow-up: The time has come, and I have to make those follow-up calls this week! It's very exciting (though sometimes a little intimidating), but I'm confident that things will go well.

Adam

--

Coming soon: a history of the jobs I've held while at GW, and how a GW education can help you secure some great positions!

As always, feel free to send me any questions or comments at ash1290@gwmail.gwu.edu.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum

For the past few months, I’ve been working at SAAM on weekends, as a presenter for the Art à la Cart Program.  It’s a really great way to engage visitors (especially kids) with the art in a more interactive and fun way, while still being really informative and interesting.  I’ve learned so much working at the museum, and I’m gonna share a bit of that with all of you!

Our presentations cover a variety of topics: “found art", quilting, art of the American Indian, photography, and sculpture, among others.  Here, I’ll give a super-quick teaser of our sculpture presentation, but for the whole thing you’ve got to come visit us at the American Art Museum on the Chinatown/Gallery Place stop.  We're there weekends from 2-5pm!

This horse sculpture was made by Debra Butterfield—can you guess what it’s made of?  (Don’t Google, it’ll ruin the surprise!)  Come see for yourself the intriguing and elegant Monekana at SAAM.

Really, visit me at work!  And email with questions about GW/DC/my job!  shireens@gwmail.gwu.edu

~~~Shireen

The Big Job Hunt and GW's resources

Hey folks,

Thought I'd pick up where I left off last time--with a discussion of the specific resources GW offers its students in finding jobs.

As anybody who knows Washington, D.C., can tell you, this is the city of internships. Almost everybody I know has made searching for internships a principal focus of their undergraduate careers. For more on that front, I highly recommend looking through our archives here at the GW Admissions Student Blog--my colleagues have written some great pieces on the diversity of their experiences.

As a second-semester senior, I want to offer a bit of a different perspective: that of a soon-to-be-graduate looking for work. (I also have graduate school applications in, but that's a story for a different post.)

Freshman and parents probably want to know the answers to the following two questions:
1. How well does a GW education prepare you for employment in general?
2. What kind of resources are available to assist the job search itself?

My last post talked more about question #1. From my experiences over the past ten days, I can offer two data points on question #2:

Career Fairs: GW offers two big general-interest career fairs. Our first fair this year was held back in the Fall; our Spring fair just happened on Wednesday, February 1. I attended the Spring fair this year, and I have to say I was really impressed with the breadth of opportunities available. Many employers were looking for students with strong written and verbal communication skills to fill spots immediately, and most were accepting resumes.

I admit it: I'm not going to be designing submarines for this GW Career fair perennial--though many of our outstanding SEAS students do work for outstanding companies like this one.

One comment I frequently hear from my fellow humanities students after job fairs is "What about me?" I have to say, I think this criticism is unfair. It's only natural that a disproportionate number of employers actively hiring will be looking for engineers--technical fields are the country's main growth sectors. This is certainly reflected at our job fairs, but humanities majors need not lose hope: with a little research, you too can discover those hidden opportunities. (More on my personal experiences next time.)

Career Center Workshops: If fairs offer students a shot to impress employers in attendance, workshops give us a better chance of making each shot count. Everything from resume design to interview behavior is covered by our Career Center's staff.

Yesterday, I attended a guest lecture on interview behavior hosted by the Center. Some schools offer similar services, but GW really makes quality career support accessible. I learned a number of tips on how to improve my interview performance, and will definitely be going back for more help next week.

--Adam
Questions about the job search and life as a GW senior? Comments about this or other posts? Let me know at ash1290@gwmail.gwu.edu.
Next time: My personal employment experiences and my job search strategy.

The Spring Swing of Things for Me

This semester is bound to be one of the busiest, but most exciting ones in store for me. I am working on switching majors (yes, AGAIN!) to the School of Media and Public Affairs to study Political Communication. I have never taken a single journalism class so it is tough starting at one of the best journalism schools in the country, but hey, I’m just learning from the best!

Come visit us this spring and summer
and we can't wait for our new students to walk through
these gates

As well, I am working with the Admissions Office and going through training for the VIP (Visitor Information Program) through the Admissions Office to stay here for the entire summer and give tours. As if that weren’t enough, I will be interning for an Austin-based consulting firm. Finally, this is the heat of basketball season and I am busy with Colonial Brass as we cheer on our men and women's team to post season play. It is bound to be a great summer and even more exciting summer as I hope to get to meet more of you since traditionally many of you, like me when I went through the process, view colleges during the summer.

To those of you who applied ED and are anxiously awaiting, hang in there! Decisions will be made soon and should be headed out in the middle of February. For others who applied Regular decision, take this time to breathe after putting in your application and hold on until the middle of March. I wish you the best of luck, be sure to put in your FAFSA (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/) and CSS Profile (https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp)  with the Financial Aid Office, and as always reach out to the Admissions Office or me if you have any questions/concerns. We are always glad to help our perspective Colonials.

Peace, Love and Hippos,

Brandon Moore

brmoore@gwmail.gwu.edu

Beginning My Wrap-Up

Wait, graduation applications are due on Wednesday?!

I've known people who say college goes by in the blink of eye, but for me, that hasn't been the case at all. Each one of my years here at GW--the last of which is now more than halfway done--has been unforgettable and packed with great experiences, from the time I began Colonial Inauguration to today, shortly after returning from break for my final semester as an undergraduate.

That said, what about about after graduation? How has a GW education prepared me for a viable career?
What kind of resources does GW offer, and how far can they take you throughout your undergraduate years? All of these are questions I hope to answer for prospective students, who sit where I was four years ago.

Today I'll start with the first question: is my particular GW degree, a B.A. in International Affairs, marketable?

Notwithstanding the tough conditions out there right now, I think the answer is yes. International Affairs is a major with a good number of options; some students use the degree as a stepping-stone to graduate degrees while others jump directly into the job market.

To a greater degree than some other fields, International Affairs requires students to focus their energy on developing skills. This is in part because the program offers so many choices-- even within functional and regional concentrations--that it's easy to learn a little about a lot. In today's challenging job market, employers seem to be looking for just the right person to fill a given job, so it's worthwhile to develop a focused set of skills.

It's early in my job search, but I'll keep readers apprised throughout the semester on how it's going to provide a realistic look. I tailored my class schedule over several years to give me some good background knowledge of East Asian politics and conventional military developments. In the process, I've learned some valuable research and writing skills that have opened up a number of opportunities already.






Now if you'll excuse me, I have some applications to fill out.

Adam

--
Next Time: Making the most of GW's career resources.
Questions? Comments? Send them to me at ash1290@gwmail.gwu.edu.

Winter Break

My winter break is winding to an end. The part that I spent at home, at least. Like Brandon, I decided to come back to school early to help out with all of your applications for the coming freshman class! I am really excited to start work tomorrow and get back into having a daily schedule instead of just watching tv and hanging out at home.. I'm guilty of both of those things.

I also have a few other things that brought me back to DC so early! While most GW students are still hanging out at home for the next two weeks, I'm also going to start volunteering as an ESL teacher for a really awesome organization in DC and start an internship I just got. The first event that I have to attend for my internship is at the Newseum.. hopefully it is really cool.

the Newseum

Talk to you all soon! Email admissions questions to me! marisaw@gmail.gwu.edu
- Marisa

Another Conference, Hopefully You're Not Tired of All These--I know I'm not!

I seem to be going to a conference a week for work, and it's awesome!  Today's was about Islamic Finance law and policy, and it took place in the GW law school, so I didn't have to go far, which was nice!  Also, it was catered by corner bakery, which I love!  I had to fight myself not to grab like, 18 sugar cookies.

But back to the conference:  I met a lot of fancy people, most of which traveled rather far to attend.  And I swapped business cards with people!  Yay for networking!  It would be a lot more helpful if I was actually a business-inclined person, but hey, why not?  They were all talking about finance and risk-sharing and more business jargon and so much of it went over my head.  Then they got to the Islam side and I totally knew what they were talking about--finally.

The deal with Islamic Finance, in layman's terms, is that asking for or paying interest is against Shari'a law.  It's also not kosher in Talmudic tradition and in Christian teachings.  (haha didn't even mean to pun "not kosher"... I say that a lot).  SO these companies and organizations have to find ways around loans, mortgages, and other finance stuff that doesn't deal in interest.  And that was really interesting!  Actually!  Even when they started talking dollars and cents and using business talk!

So while this isn't my principle interest in life, it definitely broadened my horizons and opened up a lot of new opportunities for me!  It's something I'd definitely like to learn more about and do some of my own research on.

Send an email with whatever you'd like!  shireens@gwmail.gwu.edu

<3 Shireen

GW Law School Fair 2011

Howdy guys!!!

Although Monday's are probably one of my busiest days of classes, I found way to make it to GW's Second Annual Law School Fair. It was an absolutely amazing event that I was able to cover in two one-hour sessions between my Youth & Delinquency class and Chemistry evening class. Over 120 law schools were in attendance, even including 17 of the top 20 law schools (which by the way includes GW law) Look for yourself : http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-rankings

Go to GW?

The tables covered the entire floor of the Charles E. Smith Center, GW's main indoor sports arena right in the heart of campus if you haven't heard Christie or me mention it before. Some of the tables I checked out were the University of Alabama Law, Michigan State Law, UC Irvine Law, Yale Law, Columbia Law, William & Mary Law, The University of Texas School of Law, NYU Law, George Mason Law, Georgetown Law, Vanderbilt Law, The University of Maryland Law, Cornell Law, Santa Clara Law and last but certainly not least The George Washington University School of Law. I was very impressed with all the information I gathered on these schools as a sophomore in college and have a great knowledge of the opportunities available to me both locally and nationally as I go to these events and see the schools that are anxious to get GW graduates.

This is an amazing opportunity for GW students as it was held on our campus and attended by not only GW students, but other local college students and even local DC workers looking to go back to college. It was amazing to have this resource available to me all afternoon and speaks to the life of a GW student- going to career or professional school fairs between classes.

As always, please feel more than welcome to ask me any questions and I am thoroughly enjoying those of you I am currently assisting. Keep your grades up, stay involved and work on those essays!

Peace, Love and Hippos,

Brandon
brmoore@gwmail.gwu.edu

Conference at The New American Foundation

Today at work, I was sent out to a conference at The New America Foundation.  It was entitled Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America's Secret Campaign Against Al-Qaeda.  The speakers were Thom Shanker and Eric Schmitt, co-authors of a book sharing that title and NY Times correspondents on national security.

It was a really interesting discussion and very relevant to my studies, though not so much to my current job... it's aiight though.  I got to leave the office for a bit (and go directly across the street, haha)  But as you may have noticed in past posts of mine, I really like events with cool DC people and big wigs. 

Here's a video from the discussion:

Video streaming by Ustream

Cool, huh?  And guess who's back-of-the-head is right in the middle of the screen, there.  Mine!  So yeah.  Pretty cool indeed.

As always, shoot me an email at: shireens@gwmail.gwu.edu

~~~Shireen

My new internship!

Hello, friends.  I am now a Policy Analyst for The Institute for Gulf Affairs!  Weeee!

Today was my first day, and I loved it!  The Gulf Institute is a rather small operation with an office about 15 minutes off campus.  Me and 3 other interns are working on a few campaigns, one involving human rights concerns for Saudi women (check out the No Women. No Play. website for more info!) and another on the current political situation in Bahrain.

I was the last intern to start, the other 3 started either last week or a month ago, so I have some catching up to do!  It doesn't seem like it'll be too hard, though, everyone there was super nice and helpful, and I already started my first project: an op-ed about the women's campaign to be published!  I'm gonna be published, kids!  Haha.

Another major plus to the job: all 3 of my co-interns are native French speakers.  They're all so cool!  I'm super jealous, but the good thing is they speak it all the time in the office, which will definitely help me with comprehension and (once I drum up the courage) speaking.  I've taken French since the 6th grade, but I took a few years off so I got a bit rusty.  Here's hoping I pick it up--and fast!  I'll need to in order to keep up with everyone!

So that's really all I've got on my first day, but more updates to come!  Definitely liking the new office and the whole crew, so this should be a great semester!

As per the usual, email with questions and whatnot: shireens@gwmail.gwu.edu

<3 Shireen

From Class-Goer to Intern

As if this semester could get any better for me, I have even more good news. My first week back on campus, literally my first day back in class, I was offered my top-choice internship on the spot at my interview! You're probably wondering how someone goes from regular class-goer to DC intern so fast, yeah? Surprisingly, here, it is very easy.

Let's talk about internships, because honestly, that's what everyone is talking about. Internships are a huge part of life here at GW, because we are a school that's all about hands-on experience. One of my draws to the university, which goes for most people who commit here, is the fact that you not only get to have the city at your disposal, but you can utilize its resources to get some real, quality resume-boosters while you're a full time student! But, if you're anything like me, the sheer multitude of internships may be enough to scare you into another semester of solely classwork. Here's how I did it, and if you follow the same path, I promise it's virtually foolproof.

Use GWork. This is a service I always have to talk up on my tours, but I'll be honest in admitting I never used it prior to this summer. As I wasn't under Federal Work Study or in need of a steady job while I was at school last year, GWork was something totally under my radar. But as the summer was winding down and I realized I'd be a sophomore in a matter of weeks, I realized it was time to get serious about interning. I signed into GWork, and started from the beginning. Here's the link.

Polish your resume. If you want the high-class internship of your dreams, it usually all starts with a really tight resume. Don't have a resume? Don't be embarrassed, I only made mine this summer so I could get summer work. Lucky for you, there are sample resumes on the GWork website to help you out. More often than not, though, you have a resume, but aren't sure if it's ready to impress. Here's the secret, GW Resume Critic. You can actually submit your resume to this service free of charge, and in a matter of days, will have it either returned or available to be picked up totally edited and assembled to internship perfection! If you have the time, I guarantee you this is worth the trouble. There is a link on GWork to this service!

Field your search. Once your resume is completed, it's time to actually begin your searching. GWork has a bunch of different fields where you can limit the type of results you want; by type of position (intern, part-time, full-time), by field, or by simply typing in keywords. For me, I knew an association I wanted to work for, typed in their acronym, and my dream internship popped up as the first result. Okay, so it might not come that easy for you, and I did continue my searching beyond that first result. If you put in the effort to research around, looking into any results that come up, you can really get a sense of what's out there for you.

Write your (different) cover letters. The cover letter was a concept most foreign to me until this summer, when I realized that all the internships I wanted to apply for required them. If you're as lost as I was, there are even cover letter samples on GWork, so do yourself a favor and look those up. A cover letter is basically an introduction of yourself, why you want this internship, and why the organization or corporation should spend their time considering you. Follow the parameters and they are pretty easy to create, but you DO have to change them for each internship. Try to avoid something generic that you can just insert the name into, because too often do people accidentally send cover letters with a different corporation's name in them. Try not to learn from experience on that one.

Go on interviews. From here on out, it's all you. You put yourself and your experience out there, and you should start hearing back from places you've applied. Be sure to be cordial and speedy in any email or phone contact back and forth, and set up an interview time you can actually get to, not one you'll have to race from your 11:10 to make. Then it's all about selling yourself. So, to do that, you need to know yourself. Know your strengths, know where you want to improve, know what you want out of a specific internship and why you're the right person for it. Give honest, truthful answers instead of formulaic, general ones, and paired with a solid resume you will have an offer in no time.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I did it. I hope that the process goes as smoothly for you as it did for me, and if you need any more advice on how to snag a great internship, you can email me at gmdepalo@gwmail.gwu.edu. Also, use your professors and classmates! Students often get internships through networking within the GW community, so don't be scared to put yourself out there a little. Hopefully I'll soon see you on the metro on your way to work. :)

See you around campus,
Gina Michele

How I scored my summer internships

Hi guys,

I had a question awhile ago about how I was able to score two different internships in a "smaller" town. While New York and Washington, DC have a wealth of opportunities, it's hard sometimes to come home and find things that will put you on the same level as other people who are able to afford housing for the summer in the big cities!

For my position at Mercy Corps, I simply did a lot of research into while nonprofits were around in Portland. Luckily enough, they do offer internships through their website and so I was able to look at the postings that way. I made sure to include relevant information as to previous jobs, volunteer experiences, and academic interests in order to show the staff at Mercy Corps how interested I was and to show them how perfect this position really was for me. I applied in February and was interviewed in mid March. I received notification that I got the internship late March and I started in mid May. Now, mid August, I am wrapping up my work here.

 It's a little bit of a different story for my internship in Tuberculosis Control at the Oregon Health Authority. The Oregon Department of Human Services just split from the Public Health Division, so while my position technically would fall under the Oregon DHS, it now is categorized differently. There were no listings I encountered when looking up the DHS, so I set about finding a big list of names within the Public Health Division. I composed an email about myself again listing relevant information, but particularly highlighting my study abroad in Botswana and how I supervised the Directly Observed Treatment for tuberculosis patients in a clinic there. While I emailed many different people in infectious disease between January and March, I finally received a response back from the Tuberculosis Controller at the end of March expressing her interest in getting me on board. I probably sent 50+ emails (being really annoying to the whole office, I'm sure) until I received a response, and it worked!! I really love the experience that I have had there and am glad I was really adamant about emailing.

Questions? As always, email me at marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu
- Marisa

Politico Summer School

Today, I went to another Politico event at the Newseum!  (Here's the link to my post on the last one!)  This one was geared specifically towards interns, and was aptly named Politico Summer School!  It was pretty cool to be around my fellow future-important people, though I'll admit the last event was quite a bit more cool if you ask me.  EVERYONE there seemed important!

However, this one had a longer set list of VIPs.  Chuck Todd of NBC was there, as well as Jennifer Psaki, White House Deputy Communications Director, and Sergio Rodriguera, chief speechwriter for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

The premise for the event was that everyone who has made it in DC started out as an intern.  They gave us helpful tips to turn our internships into careers, and to diversify our experience in the political/journalistic world.  Most of the event was a Q&A with the panel, which was cool because it was interactive and informative without the bigwigs talking at us, you know?  Us lowly interns felt like we were really on the same level as the specials!

Here's the Newseum!

Here's Politico's own coverage of the event (No video this time, sorry!  They transmitted it live but I couldn't find a recording)

Hope you like hearing about my expeditions in DC bigwig awesomeness!  Cause I'm not going back to non-socialite life anytime soon!

... so kidding.  I'm still a normal.


Anyway, email me, as usual, at: shireens@gwmail.gwu.edu

~~~Shireen