George Mason The Pulse

AIDAN JACOBS WITH AIR FORCE TWO.

in the region. Adjunct instructors in particular are good sources of information about internships as many of them are active practitioners working at key institutions and have knowledge about departments looking for assistance. But no matter the source of the internship, there is always guidance from advisors and faculty members. The frequent Schar School newsletters—yes, you should open them—also have information about opportunities. Grant Smith, a 2023 graduate of the Master of Public Administration program, found a game-changing internship on the university’s Handshake employment portal (handshake.gmu.edu), another popular option. In Smith’s case, he had a very specific curiosity he wanted to fulfill: “I wanted to learn about operations and revenue allocation at nonprofits,” he said. The Rockville, Maryland, native applied to intern with the development team at the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan nonprofit located in the District, in his second year of his MPA program. Being accepted, he said, “was a really accomplishing feeling, but”—spoiler alert—”it was an even better experience gaining full-time employment when I was finishing up my internship.” He initially served in development, researching prospective funders and foundations. “Even as an intern, I felt that my opinion was valued and taken seriously on that team,” he said. “As I continued my internship, I developed connections with other lines of business at the organization and occasionally worked on projects outside of my team.” He now is a full-time employee as an associate with the Partnership’s Federal Workforce Team, which requires him to employ different skills. “Fortunately, I connected with my current colleagues during my internship and discussed a lot of my interests from coursework at the Schar School related to public sector employee engagement,” he said. “I work on projects with federal agencies that want to increase their Federal Employment Viewpoint Survey scores.” He also represents the Call to Serve Network team which provides guidance and resources to students who want to pursue a career in the federal civil service. In other words, he may be a good contact to keep in mind. Another student found internship success by means of the Partnership for Public Service (see ourpublicservice.org), but in a different capacity. Minh-Dy Pham, a senior in the bachelor of science public administration program with a Spanish minor, was one of two Schar School undergraduates to win a Future Leaders in Public Service (FLIPS) internship with the Department of Transportation. She was assigned as an Internal Equity Support Intern at the Department of Transportation’s Office of Civil Rights for the Federal Highway Administration, where she assisted the anti-harassment and equity coordinator.

She helped develop factfinding reports for casework related to workplace harassment allegations. She notes that this opportunity would not have been possible without the help of Schar School associate professor Lucas Núñez, who recommended her to the program, and Director of Career Development Duane Bradshaw, who she says has provided “immense support throughout the application process and internship experience.” Through personalized guidance and important resources, the Schar School ensures students are well-prepared to traverse the competitive internship landscape. The school’s career services team offers workshops on resume building, interview skills, and networking strategies, ensuring that students present themselves as strong candidates. Following the completion of her internship at DOT, Pham began her fourth internship as a Pathways intern at the General Services Administration Public Buildings Service, which manages 190 federally owned buildings in the Washington region. Taking advantage of the Schar School’s proximity to Washington and “the plethora of opportunities for involvement in public service,” she has “kickstarted my career in public service,” she said. ZOOMING INTO INTERNSHIPS During the pandemic, virtual internships became commonplace, and they continue for positions that don’t necessarily require in person contact. But is there value in an internship that doesn’t require direct interaction with colleagues? “Yes, of course,” said Livija Kaktaite, who interned with the NATO Science and Technology Organization as a master of international security student. “The virtual internship can be as valuable as in-person internship because you can still get to know people during Zoom calls and later you can schedule individual Zoom meetings to get to know them better, which is similar to getting coffee with someone.” There’s another advantage: “You are able to do other activities at the same time,” she said. In her case, “I was able to play basketball professionally, do school, and do an internship at the same time because I didn’t need to sit in an office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s more convenient when you don’t have to be in the same location as other people who you are working with, so it broadens the possibilities. It saves travel time which you can use elsewhere and it helps you to build good planning and time management skills.” Bottom line: “You improve your discipline because there is no one there to enforce anything or put your schedule together, so you have to learn how to deliver and build your own structure,” she said.

COVER STORY

UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES Gabriella Grabovska, a rising government and international politics junior, arrived at George Mason from Ukraine shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of her home country. In a whirlwind of an early college career she’s experienced several internships since arriving, the first of which took her to Capitol Hill where she worked with members of congress for the Committee on House Administration (CHA), the body that manages the House of Representatives’ daily operations. “After tons of rejections from different offices on the Hill, I met the staff director for the Committee during one of the dinners hosted by the [Schar School’s] Jurisprudence Learning Community,” she said. “It was an incredible opportunity to speak with one of the people who was on the House floor during the January 6 attack. But it was just unbelievable to end up working with him at the Committee.” As if that was not thrill enough, “the best day at CHA was when I got a chance to see—and even have a quick interaction with—President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, who came to speak to Congress in December,” she said. In short time, she said, “the Schar School gave me a chance to network with the successful people from the Department of Justice, the White House, and Capitol Hill. One of those connections led to one of the best experiences of my life—my congressional internship at CHA.” Those initial “tons of rejections” she mentioned did not stop her from continuing to apply for coveted positions. “Be ready to hear ‘no’ or not hear back at all,” she said. “I know how it feels when you’re applying for an internship and already imagining yourself there—but don’t set your expectations high. It’s much nicer to get a surprise offer letter and be super excited than be disappointed because it didn’t turn out the way you expected.” The secret to success? “Be passionate about the internships you’re applying for. Be passionate when talking about the projects you worked on during the interviews. Be passionate about the field you’re working in, “Grabovska said. “At the end of the day, employers seeing your passion instead of your experience on your resumé will still give you an opportunity because they see your motivation.”

SUMMER IN THE WEST WING S char School junior Aidan Jacobs found himself in “a dream I never thought would come true,” he said, when the George Mason University government and international politics student spent the summer working in the West Wing. Yes, that West Wing. As in, the White House. In addition to working in an office in the historic Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Jacobs often found himself taking meetings in the hub of official activity as an intern with the Executive Office of the President as part of the prestigious White House Internship Program. “It has been the honor of a lifetime, and an invaluable supplement to my education,” he said. “The internship program is truly an incubator for public service talent across the nation, and the opportunity to learn from a broad, diverse, and effective pool of interns and staff is invaluable.” As for interning as a George Mason student in general, Jacobs offers some advice. “Regardless of your where you are interning, always take the time connect with your fellow interns,” he said. “Gaining access to the diversity of their various perspectives is almost as important as the various work you are assigned to do.” —Buzz McClain

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