- Welcome
- Calendar
- For Prospective Students
- For Students
- Degree Programs
- Focus Fields
- Faculty and Staff
- Research
- Public Service and Outreach
- Career Development
Career Development: Internship Summaries 2006
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue: Intergovernmental Cooperative Initiative
- Drug Policy Alliances Office of Legal Affairs
Berkeley, CA - Central Intelligence Agency, Graduate Fellow for Directorate of Intelligence
- Work, Welfare and Families
Chicago, Illinois - Public Policy Forum Internship Summary
Milwaukee, WI - Dane County Dept. of Human Services, Division of Economic Assistance and
Work Services (EAWS)
Madison, WI - Internship Summary: Milwaukee Countys Division of Fiscal Affairs
- Bavarian Ministry for the Environment, Health and Consumer Protection
Munich, Germany - FINCA International,
Client Assessment Research Fellowship
Peru and El Salvador - KEMA Inc.,
Research Analyst
Madison, WI - Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PCS), Telecommunications Division
- Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), Policy Analyst
- US Commercial Service, Department of Commerce
US Embassy, London, UK - U.S. Department of State, Economic Section
American Embassy, Warsaw, Poland - United States Senators Office
Washington, DC - The Council for Excellence in Government
Washington, DC - The Nature ConservancyCoral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC), Marine Policy and
Financing Team
Bali, Indonesia - The UW PEOPLE Program
Madison, WI - Milwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee, WI - Bureau of Cooperative Environmental Assistance (CEA), Wisconsin Dept. of
Natural Resources (WDNR)
Madison, WI - Childrens Defense Fund, Family Income Division
Washington, DC - Carter Center
Atlanta, GA - US Executive Directors Office (USED) at the African Development Bank (AfDB)
Tunis, Tunisia - US Dept. of Commerce, Office of the General Counsel Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) Washington, DC
- Kids Hope United; Continuous Quality Improvement and Research
Lake Villa, IL
Wisconsin Department of Revenue: Intergovernmental Cooperative Initiative
A combination of demographic, economic and legal factors is progressively making local government services more expensive and harder to provide. In response, local governments must adopt innovative methods of delivering services to reduce costs. Some communities are already achieving this through various forms of intergovernmental cooperation.
Recognizing the advantage of local cooperation, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) established the Intergovernmental Cooperative Initiative (ICI) to promote further cooperation. Through the compilation of case studies, ICI intends to highlight the benefits of cooperation: reduced service cost, improved or maintained service levels, and improved intergovernmental relations. In addition, ICI is identifying the best practices and potential hazards associated with formal, cooperative agreements.
During the internship we employed a phone survey to over 80 cities, villages, towns, and counties to narrow our list of potential case studies to seven communities. From there, we conducted field interviews to gather more specific data on potential cost savings and overall experience with cooperative arrangements. Currently, we are organizing our interview data in preparation of the final case studies. If authorized, we may also develop agreement templates (e.g. legal documentation, estimated project timelines, contact information, and project checklists) to assist local governments considering collaboration. The DOR has moved the tentative project deadline to January 2007.
Drug Policy Alliances Office of Legal Affairs,Berkeley, CA
The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is the leading non-profit organization focusing on ending the war on drugs. DPA takes a health approach to drug policy believing that drug policies should focus on health concerns rather than focusing on punishing individuals for what they do to their own bodies.
At DPA I was treated as a staff member and given the workload to go with it. I worked on interesting and varied projects. One project involved (successfully) suing Governor Schwarzenegger who had signed into law a policy passed through a budget trailer bill after it was defeated on the floor but that directly contradicted a voter initiated law. Another project included flying to Albuquerque, NM to meet with many of the states top child welfare advocates to discuss options for increasing the rights of incarcerated mothers. I also wrote first drafts of legislation to limit the use of government funds for random suspicion- less student drug testing programs.
This internship allowed me to explore many policy areas while simultaneously gaining real world experience in writing legal briefs, benefit/cost reports, and bill drafts. I also had the opportunity to meet many influential people (some of whom have offered me jobs!) and was able to work with a great team of other interns. I would highly recommend this internship to anyone interested in the drug war, health policy, family policy, or legal affairs.
Central Intelligence Agency, Graduate Fellow for Directorate of Intelligence
The DI produces analysis on international issues that are relevant to US policy concerns. I was placed in the Office of Russian and European Analysis, an area that matched my interests and experience. I was assigned a mentor that helped me learn how to produce DI analysis, and I contributed a piece of finished intelligence by the end of the summer. In addition to this valuable work experience, I participated in a variety of student programs, including visits to the National Security Council, Quantico and the White House. While there are many advantages to a CIA internship, one thing to keep in mind is that the Agency requires all of its employees to go through an extensive background investigation--a process that is lengthy and somewhat invasive to your personal life--in order to obtain top-secret security clearance. Prospective interns should also be aware that working for the CIA could disqualify you from future employment at some humantiarian organizations, including the Peace Corps (Peace Corps policy, in order to ensure their missions, is to not associate with CIA). Despite these drawbacks, a summer with the CIA is an amazing opportunity to see the policy impact of the intelligence community, and a successful internship could lead to a full-time position upon graduation.
Work, Welfare and Families, Chicago, Illinois
Work, Welfare and Families is a non-profit coalition of organizations working towards education and promotion of public policies that advance the well-being of low-income families in Illinois. They provide informational services, coordinated events, community forums and other research and networking opportunities for their member organizations.
My main responsibility at Work, Welfare and Families for the summer was to author a report for a new policy initiative titled More Than a Paycheck. This initiative focuses on the current context of the state economy and its effects on low-wage workers and their families in Illinois. More Than a Paycheck will also evaluate and propose any needed changes to the current system of support services and benefits (either public or private) for low-wage workers and their families.
During the summer, the initiative was in the early stages of development and my report was to provide a look at the conditions affecting low-wage workers with the current economic climate. The report focused on the conditions that may affect a low-wage worker, including housing, wages, education and training, health care, retirement benefits, child care, transportation, asset building and consumer protections. The report was an excellent way for me to look at the types of services and benefits offered by employers as well as government agencies. I also had several opportunities to connect with other non-profit policy organizations through coalition meetings and forums. Through my report and work, I was able to learn about the process of policy initiatives for non-profit advocacy organizations as well as research state-provided services and business-provided benefits. If you are looking for work at the state level in a big city environment, I would suggest looking at Work, Welfare and Families or its other coalition members within Chicago.
Public Policy Forum Internship Summary , Milwaukee, WI
The Public Policy Forum is a nonpartisan organization that researches policy issues, such as economic development, education, and public safety, affecting southeastern Wisconsin. Throughout my eleven week internship I worked primarily on race relations, education, and philanthropy reports.
I was part of a small team of interns who, along with the Forums president, designed a public opinion survey based on our research of race relations surveys conducted in other big cities. I organized focus groups with white, black, and Latino leaders of the Milwaukee community in order to get their input on what types of questions should be asked of the public. Designing the survey was a meticulous but worthwhile experience, and I regret that I had to leave the Forum to return to Madison before receiving the surveys results.
Another survey the Forum had conducted prior to my internship was on public opinion of the Milwaukee Public Schools. Using Excel and SPSS, I analyzed this surveys results and wrote a comprehensive report for the Milwaukee Public Schools superintendent. I also distributed a survey to over 60 nonprofit organizations in the Milwaukee area for the Forums annual report card on charitable giving trends. I worked with these organizations to ensure that the surveys were completed, and entered data on tax records and employees feelings about the status of charitable giving in Milwaukee. Other small jobs included helping the office manager with housekeeping, organization and database tasks, and helping another researchers economic development project by researching tax increment finance issues. I also gained insight into how these kinds of organizations function by attending board meetings, strategic planning meetings, and the Forums annual Salute to Local Government awards ceremony.
Dane County Department of Human Services, Division of Economic Assistance and Work Services (EAWS), Madison, WI
This department is responsible for W-2 (Wisconsins TANF program), FoodShare, and a variety of other programs assisting low-income people in Dane County. During my internship, I worked on projects related to several of these programs. I studied the countys use of the Barrier Screening Tool, a computerized screening for W-2 participants to help identify barriers to employment, and made recommendations on improving its use in the county. As a part of this project, I was able to attend two meetings of the state Department of Workforce Development (DWD) W-2 Screening & Assessment Advisory Group. I reviewed studies on disproportionate sanctions for minority W-2 participants and other relevant literature and provided EAWS management staff with a summary and the analysis. I assisted in writing an amendment to the countys Wisconsin Employment Transportation Assistance Program (WETAP) grant. I also worked on a variety of other projects, including a cooperative project between EAWS and the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and Dane Countys involvement with and funding of housing and homeless services. This internship provided experience with social and poverty related issues (areas I am most interested in) and with policy and management issues.
Internship Summary: Milwaukee Countys Division of Fiscal Affairs
In my internship, I was responsible for developing several departmental budgets in preparation for the 2007 Budget. Development of the departmental budgets required thorough analysis of departmental financial reports. Where appropriate, further analysis went into creating alternatives that could increase efficiency. I often met with the departments to learn more about their requested budgets, initiatives, and programs.
At the different stages of analysis, I presented my research to the County Executive focusing on the main factors driving each budget. I would then monitor all decisions made by the Executive and enter final levels of expenditure and revenue into the Countys budgetary computer system. As these decisions were finalized, I put together budget narratives that reflected the Executives recommendations and will eventually be presented to the County Board and the public.
It was important to have close interaction with the all of the analysts in the Budget Office because our budgets often intertwined. For this reason, I was present at several meetings where I gained a macro perspective of Milwaukee County and the way that each department functions on its own and relative to the others. Working in the Budget Office taught me a lot about the different responsibilities of County government, and how fiscal decisions are made to maintain those functions.
Overall, my internship experience was exactly what I wanted. My supervisors gave me the responsibility of a full analyst. There was always someone willing to answer any one of my questions. Each analyst taught me a lot. I learned about the workings of the Budget Office, the functions of different departments, and the politics of the County. I couldnt have asked for a better place to learn and grow.
Bavarian Ministry for the Environment, Health and Consumer Protection, Munich, Germany
My internship this summer focused on environmental policy in the European Union
and Germany - how environmental directives passed at the European level in
Brussels are implemented at the local level in Bavaria. The defining aspect of
Bavarian environmental policy is self-responsibility, where businesses are
encouraged to reduce emissions beyond compliance of environmental regulations in
exchange for certain government subsidized incentives. The position was
supervised in Germany by Dr. Mattias Weigand, Director of Trans-Media Law and in
the USA Professor Jonathan Zeitlin from the La Follette School of Public
Affairs.
Projects for the internship consisted of readings on Bavarian environmental
policy, daily conversations with Dr. Weigand about specific policies and day
trips around Bavaria and other areas of Germany to attend speeches and
conferences. I wrote a weekly memo on a specific environmental topic as well as
information gathered at conferences and sent it to my supervisors in both
Bavaria and Wisconsin. The speeches and conferences attended became empirical
examples of how environmental policy works in Bavaria in practice.
The memos I wrote and my presence at the Bavarian Ministry brought some
unexpected attention by the U.S. Consulate in Munich. I was asked to give a
presentation on Bavarian environmental policy and talk about how these policies
could be transposed to fit American environmental policy needs. Not only did the
internship give me a better understanding of environmental policy in both Europe
and Germany, but it also exposed me to different types of public policy.
Ultimately, I learned that environmental policies can successfully support
businesses while promoting environmentalism.
FINCA International, Peru and El Salvador
Client Assessment Research Fellowship
FINCA, a microfinance NGO, currently operates a network of 22 country programs in Latin America, Eurasia, Central Asia and Africa, serving more than 380,000 clients. FINCA offers loans to low-income micro-entrepreneurs, using the village bank methodology. While many poor families have ideas for fostering their own employment by creating small businesses, few can access the capital they need to begin. They are excluded from conventional financial sources, because they lack credit ratings and assets to use as collateral. Even a small loan can stimulate productivity, enabling the micro-entrepreneur to build assets and purchase inventory. By investing the loan and increasing his or her business as a result, the borrower is also empowered by increased self-esteem through self-help.
Over the past six years FINCA has sent nearly 70 fellows to 22 of its country programs to conduct client assessment research. I spent two months conducting research (with two other team members), one month each in Peru and El Salvador. I conducted program evaluation research by interviewing FINCA clients regarding their household expenditures, food security, housing, health, and business activity. Then an analysis of the findings was presented to local FINCA management and recorded in a written report. The main research objective was to identify the poverty level of FINCA clients and to determine the impact that FINCA services have had on their lives.
KEMA Inc., Madison, WI
Research Analyst
KEMA consulting is a part of KEMA Inc, a multinational company that provides services primarily for electric utilities. KEMA consulting in Madison works in the area of demand response consulting. This work involves helping energy utilities implement their mandated energy efficiency programs better as well as identify savings and other operational efficiencies. As a Research Analyst, I carried out preliminary sample drawings for consumer surveys, initial impact analysis on survey data, report compilation and undertook research requests from senior analysts. Since a lot of the data provided to us was in a SAS format, I learned to use SAS software proficiently. Often the data needed recompilation due to errors and missing values in the utility records so that we could perform better analysis. Like all consulting firms in my experience, I was staffed on several projects simultaneously, which required dexterity in switching from one task to another often in a single day. We also faced short project deadlines and sometimes tight budgets, a fact that required me to increase my productivity in order to meet team expectations and to stay within budget allocations. Working at KEMA, introduced me to energy utilities, their motivations for running certain programs, a greater understanding of energy related issues and the effect of various changes in regulations and utility strategies on consumers. This experience has come handy in a current class where I am attempting to discover the benefits of increasing penetration levels for compact fluorescent light bulbs. All in all this internship introduced me to energy issues, allowed me to keep my consulting skills current, and taught me a new skill of working under budget constraints.
Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PCS), Telecommunications Division
The PSC regulates the utilities to ensure that the public interest is served. My work consisted of two projects: a report studying the Lifeline/Link-Up program that serves customers who earn under 200% of the poverty line and an analysis of the market after a price deregulation of AT&T.
I looked at data for the past three years for each project and did trend analysis on customer numbers, spending, market share, and other relevant topics. My work was presented to the state Universal Service Fund manager who oversees Lifeline/Link-Up and numerous other programs and to the Commissioners for reviewing the implications of the price deregulation decision.
My summer internship taught me about working in a government agency, from presenting reports to dealing with politics in the work environment. I received a great deal of supervision and support, which was helpful since I had never worked for a government agency before. I did not, however, have the opportunity to do more sophisticated statistical work. Also, my interests are not in telecommunications, although my supervisor did work to accommodate my current studies. Therefore, those who wish to do more research and/or are not interested in utility regulation may not find this internship to be the best fit. Those who have little or no experience working in a government agency and want to gain some knowledge and/or are interested in utilities may wish to look into this internship.
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)
Policy Analyst
The internships first major project revolved around Wisconsin's working lands. This includes forest, farm, and recreation lands. I was charged with researching the history of land sales and land use in the state and to project future changes. I also recreated a study by a UW professor that the department had concerns with. It was interesting to find that, using the same data and methods, I came to different conclusions! This work culminated in a publication: The Working Lands Initiative Final Report.
My biggest project so far has been to develop and implement a carbon sequestration program for Wisconsin farm- and forest- land owners. This project involves working with other state agencies as well as a few non-profit organizations. I have been the sole contact for the State of Wisconsin on the venture. My responsibilities have included writing contracts, grants, and analyses of the program. I am also responsible for managed public relations for the program, conducting outreach and education, and will soon be trained to manage accounts and trade emissions credits on an environmental stock exchange.
I have really enjoyed my time at DATCP. In fact, I have been offered a PA-ship with the department through May of next year. Most importantly, I learned to keep an open mind. I was never interested in agriculture policy. After working in the department, I realized that my interests and skills can be applied to a broad range of policy areas.
US Commercial Service, Department of Commerce, US Embassy London, London, UK
I spent the summer interning with the U.S. Commercial Service, a branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce, at the American Embassy in London. The role of the Commercial Service is to promote the export of American goods and services in foreign markets around the world. The agency offers an array of business facilitation services in pursuit of this duty market research reports, country commercial guides, international partner and distributor services, trade advocacy, and participation in trade shows to highlight a few.
I worked closely with the Commercial Specialists concentrating on high-tech industries such as Aerospace & Defense, Computers, Electronics, Medical Devices, and Pharmaceuticals. Given my assignment, I spent most of my time preparing and coordinating for the Farnborough International Air Show the largest of its kind in 2006. In the weeks leading up to the Air Show, I drafted a pan-European overview of the Aerospace & Defense industry, focusing on recent political and commercial events that impact the volume of goods being imported from the US. I also helped organize a reception held at the Ambassadors house and attended by over 1000 executives and political leaders. During the week of the Air Show, I assisted the various delegations visiting the Farnborough event, including the likes of Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Senators Bill Frist (TN) and Ted Stevens (AK), and Deputy Secretary of Commerce David Sampson.
Through the course of the summer, I also contributed to two other projects of note. First, I helped Diversified Conveyors Inc.(DCI) of Memphis, TN, locate a business partner in the British Midlands for a major construction project worth roughly $20 million. I researched the conveyor industry, contacted companies specializing in conveyor installation, and introduced DCI to potential partners discovered through my research. Construction on the project begins in the Fall of 2006. Also, I produced a market research report on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in the UK that will be published for US producers considering entering the UK marketplace. In all, my experience with the Commercial Service was enriching and worth-while. I strongly recommend it to any La Follette student interested in international business and government.
U.S. Department of State, Economic Section, American Embassy- Warsaw, Poland
American embassies worldwide are run through the Department of State and they are divided into sections that include economic, political, public affairs and consular divisions. This past summer I was given the opportunity to intern at the American Embassy in Warsaw, Poland in the economic section. The work I did there dealt with different aspects of economics, business and intergovernmental relations, and the learning curve was exceptionally high.
During the internship I attended various conferences, meetings with government officials and other embassy events. I dealt with issues ranging from fiscal and financial policy to maritime economy to the equality of women in the workforce. A highpoint of the summer was the Fourth of July celebration at the Embassy, along with various other festivities surrounding it. My internship experience culminated with a research project about the high unemployment rate in Poland that is causing a large portion of young people to leave the country in search of work.
Along with becoming more familiar with Polish government and politics, I learned quite a bit about the State Department and the ins and outs of being a Foreign Service Officer. I also developed a deeper understanding of diplomacy, international relations and international governance. This internship was a truly unique experience and I recommend that anyone who is interested apply.
United States Senators Office, Washington, DC
Being in Washington DC was a learning experience in itself and I cannot stress enough the importance of practical experience in Washington. I was able to watch floor speeches from the Senate gallery; hear staffers and Senators talk policy in the elevator; interact with policy staff from both Senate offices and think tanks; evaluate policy makers' sources and goals; feel the pull of outside influence on policy; gauge the influence of the public; and discuss policy options with a real chance those ideas might come to fruition. Living where policy is created gives a different perspective to policy students, one that is more tangible and less abstract. This experience has made me more interested in the process of policymaking and more cognizant of its possible shortfalls.
The policy process I was involved with was substantive. I had hands-on experience in drafting legislation, evaluating existing programs, creating national pilot models, researching policy options, writing policy briefs, and advocating certain personal policy preferences. For the latter point, I found that because of a lack of reliable data, there is almost always personal philosophy that drives policy initiatives. Specifically, I worked on low-income housing legislation, restructuring No Child Left Behind, creating a high-skilled workforce investment project, and evaluating welfare reforms in the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act.
The Council for Excellence in Government, Washington, DC
The Council for Excellence in Government (www.excelgov.org) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization which strives (1) to attract and develop talented people for public service; (2) to encourage innovation and results-oriented performance in government; (3) to promote e-government as a tool for improving government performance; and (4) to improve the connection between citizens and government.
I worked for the Councils Homeland Security Project, where I conducted research for the Projects Director. I had the good fortune of receiving some fascinating research assignments, including identifying shortfalls in the Hurricane Pam tabletop exercise, a July 2004 mock hurricane simulation for Southeast Louisiana that ultimately failed to prepare local, state, and federal responders for the chaos caused by Hurricane Katrina. In preparation for a meeting with FEMA Director David Paulison, I wrote a 5-page memo outlining the personnel and leadership challenges plaguing the embattled federal agency. I also researched and wrote memos on efforts taken by the Department of Homeland Security to assist states and municipalities in evacuating nursing home, hospital, and special needs populations in emergencies.
My experience at the Council for Excellence in Government was not confined solely to research and writing. I attended two Congressional hearings, one on preparing for the 2006 hurricane season, and the other on replacing seniority with performance as the primary criteria for salary bonuses for federal employees. I also organized a panel discussion for federal employees on the threat posed by avian flu. Our panelists included public health and emergency preparedness experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the State of Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Additionally, the Council frequently sponsored speakers, roundtable discussions, and conferences, all of which I was able to attend.
The Nature ConservancyCoral Triangle Center (TNC-CTC), Marine Policy and
Financing Team
Bali, Indonesia
My main task during my internship with The Nature Conservancy was to conduct a study on the policy process that enabled a local government to declare a marine protected area (MPA). In 1999 Indonesia underwent a major political shift towards decentralization and democratization. This shift created both opportunities and obstacles for international organizations carrying out conservation work. As such, my task was to assess and make recommendations for how TNC and its partners could promote the establishment of MPAs in a new political environment.
This research provided the opportunity to talk with individuals from the government, USAID, and numerous environmental organizations. It also required that I travel to the field and meet with people at the local, national, and international level. In writing my final report I put the skills I had learned in policy analysis to the test and I used the knowledge I gained from global environmental governance to suggest methods to establish local MPAs.
Although I primarily worked alone, the internship gave me significant insight into how international NGOs go about their work. I saw first hand how TNC and its partners continually adapt their techniques to succeed in a changing political and legal environment. I also gained a detailed understanding of how the political structure of a country affects the degree to which NGOs are capable of achieving their goals. Not only was I able to learn the content of environmental policy in Indonesia while at TNC, but I also gained perspective on what strategies conservation organizations are using to craft and implement effective, feasible, and equitable environmental policy across the globe. For anyone interested in working in an international setting, I highly recommend interning abroad.
The UW PEOPLE Program, Madison, WI
The PEOPLE program is great place to work and an excellent match for students that have interest in education policy or related topics. The PEOPLE Program is part of the Madison-Wisconsin Plan 2008 initiative to increase the number minorities or low income students that will eventually attend college, with a focus on UW Madison. The summer program is intense and keeps you pretty busy, but you will be in charge of many projects and have the space to provide your own input and ideas.
I was a Summer Program Liaison supervising 5 academic workshops, 5 instructors and 10 T.A's. I was mainly responsible to motivate, encourage, and support students with goals of academic excellence and leadership. I met with tutorial staff on a daily basis to review and develop strategic educational plans and to share information updates from the administrative office and/or school personnel. I assisted in the administration of the workshop sites, documented student progress, processed official documents, and translated and interpreted policy and procedure.
This was a great place to practice language skills, especially Spanish. This position was in Madison. I worked directly with university staff, local area teachers, and over 400 students. If you like to take initiative and have excellent people skills, this will be a perfect fit.
At the end of the program, it is absolutely rewarding to know that these kids sometimes labeled as risk youth are gaining valuable skills and will potentially decrease the gap for minority students attending higher education institutions.
Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is an urban school district in southwestern Wisconsin. As with many urban districts, MPS has serious achievement obstacles to overcome.
I worked in the Accountability and Assessment department at MPSs central office. This office is a division of the Superintendents office and is responsible for administering all the statewide and/or federally mandated testing and for researching issues to improve the functioning of the district overall. My role was research, working with another researcher who is appointed dually between MPS and the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER). We worked together on two research projects for the district -one was on the status and nature of the achievement gap at MPS and the other was on the progression of ELL students through the language levels and in academic achievement.
I aided in the research and statistical analyses for these projects. I first researched the background issues concerning these major topics and identified possible research questions. We then held a meeting with concerned and knowledgeable staff in the district and in the community to finalize our research agenda. Then we collected the data necessary to answer our questions and analyzed them using regression analysis and other statistical techniques. I was partially responsible for getting the data, helping with the regression models, analyzing the results and creating descriptives, like graphs and charts.
This internship was perfect extension of my year at La Follette because I was able to use my quantitative skills and my knowledge of public policy and theory to advance my understanding of the challenges of an urban school district.
Bureau of Cooperative Environmental Assistance (CEA), Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), Madison, WI [ 2 students list experiences below]
(1) Over the course of the summer, I worked on two primary projects. The first was based off one of the La Follette capstone projects from the previous year. The focus of this report was to address the need for various types of ongoing evaluation of the WDNRs innovative Green Tier program. My work focused on developing a set of metrics to measure the effectiveness of several of the statutory goals of the program, including the strengthening of relationships and the building of trust between participating businesses and the WDNR.
The second project I worked on centered on the development of an environmental brand for the state of Wisconsin. The environmental industry is one of the fastest growing in the US economy and its development is key to easing the burden of a declining manufacturing sector. I specifically worked on creating an inventory of environmental companies already in existence that could be used as leaders in the development of a new program to attract similar companies to Wisconsin. I followed up with these companies to gauge their interest and find out more about them. In addition to these major projects I worked on several short-term jobs.
I also had numerous opportunities to leave the office. I participated in several site visits in which WDNR personnel discussed regulatory matters with companies participating in various CEA programs. Additionally, I attended several one-on-one meetings with potential Green Tier participants. To cap off my summer, I attended the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conference in Chicago. The conference provided training and certification in how site visits should be conducted when dealing with companies that participate in beyond compliance type programs. The final day of the conference involved a site visit to a major international manufacturing firm. I was able to fully participate in this visit and the write up that followed. The conference provided an excellent networking opportunity both with other DNRs and with the EPA personnel.
On the whole, this internship provided me with my first practical experience working with government and provided a window into the policy making process. It also gave me an opportunity to use the analytical skills that I developed during my first year at La Follette.
(2) Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Cooperative Environmental Assistance
The majority of my efforts were focused on the Green Tier program. Green Tier is an innovative program that assists and encourages businesses to voluntarily reduce environmental impacts by a greater degree than required by law. The experience taught me much about state government and the challenges of working within a new program. Throughout the duration of my internship I completed a wide range of small projects and was encouraged to seek out projects that interested me. I was also able to accompany staff members to meetings with businesses participating in the Green Tier program. At these meetings, upper level management of Green Tier businesses often demonstrated their concern for the environment and an understanding of the actions being taken by their organizations to minimize environmental impacts. Seeing the commitment that these companies have made to going beyond compliance was the highlight of my internship and left me eager to observe the further expansion and development of the Green Tier program.
Childrens Defense Fund, Family Income Division, Washington, DC
The Childrens Defense Fund was founded by Marion Wright Edelman in 1973 and is dedicated to the mission to Leave No Child Behind. The Leave No Child Behind mission strives to ensure that every child has a healthy start, a head start, a fair start, a safe start, and a moral start in life as well as a successful passage to adulthood. The Childrens Defense Fund (CDF) is a private, non-profit organization supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations. The organization has never taken government funds.
As an intern in the Family Income Division, my primary responsibility was to research and write policy memos on a number of tax and benefit policies meant to supplement the income of low-income families. I also wrote daily legislative updates for CDF staff on Hill happenings of particular concern to the agency. Another part of my job was to attend meetings hosted by various D.C. advocacy groups and write summaries of what went on. Finally, while analysis was not a big part of my job, I did have the opportunity to work on a project examining changes in poverty rates and public benefit usage in the areas hit by Hurricane Katrina. My role in the project was to compile census data and perform basic data analysis tasks. Towards the end of my internship, I began providing support for the Health Division who was working on a legislative push to advocate for universal healthcare for children. My major responsibility was writing policy memos on different issues relating to childrens healthcare.
I would recommend an internship at the Childrens Defense Fund for anyone interested in learning more about the legislative process as well as being exposed to the inner workings of D.C. groups committed to advocating on behalf of vulnerable populations.
Carter Center , Atlanta, GA
The Carter Center is an international NGO created by former President Jimmy Carter. The Carter Center has two general programs. Their health programs work to eliminate forgotten diseases and bring awareness to mental health issues, and their peace programs promote democracy and conflict resolution. I worked in the China Program, which is part of the peace program. The China Program monitors local elections in China and helps run a Chinese and English language website with articles on elections, governance and political reform.
Much of my work involved translating documents for the English section of the website. I translated a few articles written by Chinese scholars and a number of speeches, articles and editorials by government and party officials. Some of these articles were quite controversial, which added an element of excitement. We also monitored and reviewed political developments in a weekly news summary that was posted on the website. In addition, I helped design the new China Program section of the Carter Center website. The final project I worked on included several sections of a first draft of a first annual white paper on Chinese democracy to be published by the Carter Center. I wrote an overview of the general political system in China, a section analyzing Peoples Congress reforms, another section on intra-party democracy and a section outlining the future prospects for political reform and democratization in China.
US Executive Directors Office (USED) at the African Development Bank (AfDB), Tunis, Tunisia
Africas premier financial institution dedicated to promoting economic and social development on the continent. The USED sits on the Board of Directors, which is responsible for the conduct of general operations of the Bank. It conducts this oversight principally during weekly Board meetings. The USED is an appointee of the President of the United States, and advocates the USs position on matters before the Board. The office is supported by the US Treasury Department, which provides two full-time resident staff members as Advisor and Assistant to the ED.
I reported directly to the USED and was given responsibilities equal to those of the Advisor and Assistant. My job was to review project proposals and policy documents prior to Board meetings, and to write talking points for the USEDs interventions at Board meetings. Before the Bank can disburse funds to a government to finance a new project, the Board of Directors must approve it. Most projects receive a fair amount of discussion. The majority of these have no problems getting approved; however, sometimes there are legitimate concerns about a projects goals or the borrowing governments ability to repay. I reviewed these multimillion-dollar projects with these criteria in mind. A few examples of projects I reviewed that were approved by the Board this summer include the financing of a new motorway in Morocco, a new titanium mine operation in Kenya, and a poverty reduction budget support program for Madagascar.
I was mostly able to pick which projects I wanted to review based on my interests. Staff was very accommodating and I never felt pushed into accepting menial tasks. Throughout the internship I was able to apply what I have already learned at La Follette, while also developing a sense of what skills I would like to broaden before graduating.
My internship was an excellent opportunity to reflect on whether I would like to work abroad after graduation or remain stateside, and I would encourage anyone who is also curious about this to do the same.
US Department of Commerce, Office of the General Counsel
Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), Washington, DC
This programs objective is to improve the legal environment for doing business worldwide. It does so by providing technical assistance in the commercial law arena to the governments and private sectors of transitional countries in support of their economic development goals. The program works in developing regions around the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. The program does not currently have a strong presence in Latin America, but would like to expand its efforts in this region. To this end, my primary summer project involved researching current technical assistance efforts in five Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, and Paraguay. In particular, I examined US Government and international programs directed toward improving intellectual property rights, anti-corruption/good governance efforts, and judicial capacity building. My final product included a detailed survey of my results, along with recommendations for CLDPs expansion into this area. When I was not occupied with this task, I assisted attorneys with research into specialized intellectual property courts, assisted with and participated in conferences with foreign delegations, and researched commercial and international trade legal issues in several countries, including Pakistan, Bahrain, and Yemen. This internship experience provided me with an excellent opportunity to combine the skills developed during my first year of the La Follette program with my legal education and proved to be a highly rewarding experience for me.
Kids Hope United; Continuous Quality Improvement and Research, Lake Villa, IL
At Kids Hope United, a private Child Welfare Agency, I was responsible for researching and developing a program evaluation of a child abuse/neglect prevention program; drafting informed consent form; updating agency manual; organizing agency closed files and performing data entry; summarizing accreditation policy changes, and other tasks, as assigned. Due to the nature of the office, I had a lot of interaction with other staff and was able to develop good mentoring relationships with my coworkers. I had a large amount of independence and responsibility, as my supervisor was typically very busy. Because the organization operates in several regions, I gained a good understanding of the different issues facing a private child welfare agency that strives to provide high quality programs and services. Finally, I developed an understanding of continuous quality improvement as a means of evaluating and improving programs.