The Ultimate Learning Experience

My time at the State Department has been exciting and extremely educational. I learned so much, so much so it's impossible to describe everything in just one blog post. My biggest goal coming in was to see what it was like working for a large federal agency like the State Department. As I went I saw how things work from the inside, and unsurprisingly communication and teamwork is key for success (much like my work at the Arizona State Senate). I view the State Department as a giant network of cogs, every part has to function properly for the rest to work. Seeing this from the inside was eye-opening and certainly helped prepare me for my future work in government, wherever that may be.

My other goal was to learn how we communicate the mission of foreign policy and prosperous international relations to domestic and foreign audiences. Fortunately for me I worked in the bureau that deals with this specific subject matter. I saw student engagement, speeches, special events, policy classrooms, press relations, and everything in between. All of this helps the State Department communicate with and educate those around us. It helped me reaffirm the belief that the work here is important at every level, and it was a thrill to be a part of it. I think sometime outreach can get lost in the grand scheme of things and it's always important to remember the importance of engaging with others.

The last, and possibly most important learning aspect of my internship, was to see if the State Department would be a place that I would be interested in pursuing a career with. After my 2 and a half months I can safely say that I would absolutely consider working here in the future. I will go a step further than "consider" and say that I would really love to pursue a career here after I graduate. The people, atmosphere, and the city itself make this an ideal place to pursue meaningful work. The are opportunities here are immense and the work being done is important and crucial for US interest.

I learned so much that I will take with me moving forward. This experience has been invaluable and provided  me with wonderful "real world" job expertise. I have a long way to go, life is a constant learning experience after all, but I feel more confident in my direction than ever before. Experiencing DC government life and culture first hand was exactly what I needed. I'll be sad to go, but I've made a ton of good friends and professional connections since I moved here in October. I will round out my trip back in Seattle to spend the holidays with my family, and then it's back to Tempe for my "true" senior year as a Sun Devil.

Thanks to everyone who kept up with my blog, please feel free to add me on Facebook or Intstagram.

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