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Robert M. La Follette
School of Public Affairs
1225 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706

Telephone: 608.262.3581
Fax: 608.265.3233

Last updated:
August 24, 2011

Career Development

Internship Summaries Summer 2011

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The Observer Research Foundation, Delhi
Canticle Farm
BASIX, India
Public Policy Forum
World Council of Credit Unions
Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras
The Carter Center
Forward Community Investments
Fundacion Ethos
U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service
Child Trends
Wisconsin Homeland Security Councils
Climate Focus

1. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
During the summer of 2011, I interned at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a Washington, DC nonpartisan fiscal policy think tank focused on programs affecting low- and moderate-income Americans. My internship was located within the State Fiscal Policy department which is a division of CBPP dedicated to the states that also coordinates the State Fiscal Analysis Initiative (SFAI) network. The SFAI network is composed of 42 state offices that focus on state budget and tax analysis.

My time at CBPP included many great learning experiences like analysis of budget documents from a number of different states and verification of state income tax formulas using an excel macro. I was also tasked with monitoring the status of state budget enactments before the June 30 deadline in addition to tracking issues of interest for State Fiscal Policy staff.

I was able to attend several conferences and briefings during my time in Washington, DC and was treated essentially like any other member of the staff. I worked closely with several staff members on different projects, including one project focused on state education funding. Research for this project included gathering background literature on education finance reform and tracking down education funding numbers from several different states going back to fiscal year 2008.

This internship allowed me to experience what budget analysis might be like if I chose to follow a career path that included working for a think tank or an advocacy group.

2. The Observer Research Foundation, Delhi, India
I was an intern at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in Delhi, India. ORF is a private think-tank that was founded in the early-1990s as an independent forum to examine the critical problems facing the country and to help develop coherent policy responses in a rapidly changing global environment. Today, it continues to influence all areas of public policy in India, especially in India's foreign policy objectives.

My research project at ORF focused on China's current oil diversification strategy. China is heavily dependent on oil that is shipped through the Hormuz Strait and the Malacca Strait. China has been working toward diversifying its energy sources and building a network of pipelines to avoid these strategic chokepoints on its maritime trade routes. In my breakdown of this strategy, I provided cost-benefit analysis of China’s various methods and the geopolitical implications of the steps they have taken. This research culminated in a paper that I am in the process of publishing, along with Vivan Sharan, entitled, “Oil Supply Chokepoints in the Asia Pacific – China’s Strategic Dilemmas.”

The other valuable aspect on interning at ORF is the opportunity to participate in their many conferences and meetings. Regular meetings are held where various research projects are presented and then discussed among the research fellows at ORF. They also host regular conferences where ambassadors, government officials, organizational leaders and others come and present on various topics of current interest and answer questions. These meetings and conferences have provided me with unique opportunities to learn from those who are directly involved in a wide range of issues and to meet people from all over the world who have many different ideas and perspectives to share.

3. Canticle Farm
During the summer of 2011, I interned at Canticle Farm, a non-profit organic farm in Allegany in western New York State. I am planning a career in sustainable agriculture, and this internship provided valuable exposure both to the techniques of farming and to non-profit management. The farm managers and president were patient and enthusiastic when explaining the farm's operations.

Because it does not use synthetic herbicides or pesticides, Canticle Farm's production methods are labor-intensive. Most of my time was devoted to studying and practicing sustainable growing methods. I learned a great deal about biological pest control, efficient use of land and water, and the value of crop diversity and rotation. The internship also exposed me to some of the challenges and pleasures of non-profit management, including volunteer training, outreach programs, and financial analysis. I also met like-minded people with whom I hope to collaborate in the future.

Most importantly, Canticle Farm clearly illustrated the contrast between outputs and outcomes that has been such a significant element of my education in the La Follette program. Far from being a simple vegetable production facility, the farm is deeply engaged in the educational, environmental and social welfare of the community. Canticle Farm produces far more than crops. As its Farm Manager remarked, the farm is “not just growing vegetables, we're growing farmers.” In my experience, it succeeded on both counts.

4. BASIX, India
As a summer intern for BASIX, a Hyderabad-based microfinance and livelihood promotion institution, I examined the social and political dynamics of various models striving towards financial inclusion in India. I analyzed quantitative data, and spoke with India's top academics, financial regulators, policy makers, NGOs, bankers, investors, and microfinance customers in both urban and rural areas.
For my final project, I produced a 17-minute multi-media documentary film highlighting the causes of India's recent microfinance crisis and the national and global implications of regulatory inaction. A Sinking Ship: Microfinance and The Andhra Pradesh Crisis provides viewers with an overview of microfinance, the development challenges that India continues to face, and the political dynamics that have facilitated the continuation of financial exclusion for millions of Indians.

In addition to producing the film, I also had the privilege of working one-on-one with Member of Parliament (MP), Prem Das Rai. During multiple meetings in his Delhi office, I worked alongside Mr. Rai and his staff to formulate a political strategy to sensitize other parliamentarians to the importance of the upcoming microfinance bill. At the request of Mr. Rai, I also wrote an opinion piece for Central Hall, a leading Indian Parliament news publication circulated exclusively to all 545 members of parliament, The Office of the Prime Minister, and Indian Embassies abroad.

I also presented the film and policy recommendations at the Indian Central Bank's academic institution–the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research in Mumbai–, and at Sa-Dhan, India's largest microfinance advocacy organization, in Delhi.

5. Public Policy Forum
My summer internship at the Public Policy Forum allowed me to put to immediate use the technical skills and substantive knowledge I gained at La Follette during my first year. The Public Policy Forum is a nonpartisan policy research organization that performs analysis and tracks government performance on issues affecting southeast Wisconsin.

As the full-time graduate summer intern, my primary responsibility was to collect and analyze trend data regarding the performance, finances, and enrollment of 50 public school districts in southeast Wisconsin, and to draft written findings for the Forum’s annual schooling report. The Forum gave me broad discretion to expand the scope of this year’s report to include an investigation of several sweeping changes in the state’s education policy context. I had the opportunity to perform policy research and analysis regarding the following: 1) the fiscal impact of economic indicators and the 2011-2013 state budget on local school districts; 2) the potential impact of a broad range of proposed educational accountability reforms being considered by a statewide task force; and 3) the implications for a new statistical method for measuring educational achievement: value-added growth analysis. Throughout the project, I worked with the Forum staff to elicit feedback from district superintendents and educational researchers, who provided peer review for the report’s findings. As a result of my work to deepen and expand the analytical scope of the report, the Forum decided to present it to their membership of business and municipal leaders for their “Policy in a Pub” series, a program designed to stimulate public discussion of salient policy issues in the region.

Although the schooling report was my principal focus, I participated in Forum activities as a member of the research staff. During the Forum’s annual meeting with its full membership as well as during weekly staff meetings, I gained an insider’s perspective on how the organization approaches its various roles as policy researcher, budget analyst, community convener, and government watchdog. I took advantage of the opportunity to participate in the early stages of the Forum’s work facilitating intergovernmental cooperation among municipalities in Milwaukee County. This experience allowed me to conduct research and gain insight on how local municipal leaders interact to pursue shared service agreements, functional consolidations, and other cooperative paths toward efficiency.

6. The World Council of Credit Unions
Over the summer, for more than three months, I had the opportunity to intern with the Project Development Department at the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), with headquarters located in Madison. WOCCU is an international trade association and development agency for credit unions that has been working since 1971 promoting the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world.

My responsibility as an intern included: i) working with a new recruitment database identifying consultants’ critical skills and areas of expertise relevant for future project opportunities; ii) providing input and feedback on database functionality; iii) completing credit union’s research and inputting contact information into an internal database; iv) completing research for the development of new proposals or on donor priorities on topics such as microfinance, food security, banking, and agricultural development; and v) supporting the Project Development Manager with the edition of documents and Spanish-English/English-Spanish translations.
I found the Project Development Internship a great opportunity to learn about an international institution that works for developing countries, its operations, as well as the assistance it provides to credit unions. I also had the opportunity to be more familiar with microfinance and rural development programs. Finally, I found in WOCCU a great environment to work in, with extraordinary people that make WOCCU’s mission possible. It was definitely an enriching experience totally aligned with my interests.

7. Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras
My internship placement for the summer of 2011 was with the Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The internship was a ten-week placement, predominantly in the General Service Office. My main responsibilities included receiving and processing purchase requests from all of the different departments and other U.S. government agencies within the embassy. This included getting exact specifications from the requestors, and then working with both local Honduran and U.S. vendors to procure the items requested. This often required site visits to the vendors available, and negotiation of terms and compensation in Spanish, and then translating all official agreements into English for embassy records.

Additionally, I was able to rotate to the Economic, Political and Consular sections of the embassy in order to assist in other ongoing projects, as well as gain a better understanding of the work of the embassy and how the different sections work together to carry out the diplomatic mission of the U.S. government in Honduras. My work in the Political and Economic sections included opportunities to research a wide range of issues through media reports and interviews with both Honduran citizens and Honduran governmental officials. I used the information gained from this research to write diplomatic cables (of Wiki-leak fame) to relevant policy makers in Washington D.C. about how each issue was important to the U.S. diplomatic mission and interests. Specific issues on which I wrote cables included the commitment of the Honduran government to human rights issues facing the 9 indigenous people groups in Honduras, and the forthcoming economic impacts of a new Security Tax affecting businesses and individuals of all income levels.
This internship provided me with a comprehensive look at the work of U.S. embassies abroad, and also the life of a Foreign Service officer. I would highly recommend this type of internship for anyone who would consider a career with the State Department.

8. The Carter Center
I interned with The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The Carter Center is a non-governmental organization, founded by former President Carter in 1982, that operates peace and health programs in the United States and around the world. I interned with the Conflict Resolution Program and focused on South Sudan, which gained independence on July 9, 2011. I enjoyed having the unique opportunity to work with an organization engaging on a high level with a territory as it transitioned to independence. Operating within a continuously changing context was an exciting challenge.

I worked closely with program staff to formulate proposals, analyze and conceptualize conflict dynamics, write and edit drafts, meet with potential partners, and prepare initial designs for monitoring and evaluation. I researched a variety of organizational guidelines on monitoring and evaluation of peacebuilding programs and delivered an informational presentation to Carter Center staff. I also researched topics of concern to staff, writing reports and assembling resources.

9. Forward Community Investments (FCI)
FCI is a nonprofit community development financial institution that provides lending and advisory services to nonprofits throughout the state of Wisconsin that serve low to moderate income families and individuals.

I began working as the Program Coordinator of Advisory Services at FCI in April 2010 prior to enrollment at La Follette this past fall. My primary duties during my first summer and throughout the 2010-2011 school year were centered on developing and executing the plans to establish a formal advisory services line of business using a grant FCI received to provide capacity building services to nonprofits. These activities included creating workshops and webinars to build awareness and understand of how an organization can improve its service delivery through a capacity assessment and action planning process. Concurrent with this grant-based work, I conducted a survey and interviews of Wisconsin nonprofits to analyze the financial health and future outlook of nonprofits as well as the activities taken to improve their current situation.

This summer I have spent about half my time providing one-on-one advisory services, including business model evaluation and financial analysis of client nonprofits. With my remaining time, I have conducted a repeat of the Wisconsin nonprofit survey with a greater focus on the capacity building and collaboration opportunities that nonprofits undertake and how stakeholders such as community foundations, government agencies, and nonprofit Boards of Directors can help strengthen the nonprofit community.

Working at FCI has been an amazing experience; it has combined my interests in management and organizational development with community building. I have really enjoyed the research and planning involved my work. I have been given opportunities to develop and work both independently and in coordination with FCI’s excellent staff of experienced financial professionals on a variety of strategic and operational projects.

10. Fundacion Ethos
Fundacion Ethos is an independent think-tank located in Mexico City, Mexico. At the foundation I had a summer internship within the Independent Poverty Observatory (IPO) department. The IPO focuses on researching, analysing, and discussing poverty in Latin America. I worked closely with IPO researchers on a number of projects.

For the first project, I worked with the Ethos Poverty Index, a multidimensional measurement of poverty in Latin America. I edited the English translation of the Index, coordinated with the graphic designer for publication of the English version, and developed a presentation of the Index in English and Spanish. I also researched possible funding sources for the release of the Index in other Latin American countries and assisted with hosting a launch event with guests from local media, international organizations, and foundations. I evaluated media impact of the event, rounding up and assigning monetary values to press coverage. After the
release of the Index, I worked on a policy recommendation for the government of Sinola, a northwestern Mexican state. We made recommendations on how the state government could finance welfare spending, using the United States and other countries that collect state taxes as case studies. For this project, I researched tax policy in the U.S., investigating strategies to improve tax compliance and enforcement. This internship gave me valuable experience in policy research as well as a deeper understanding of many issues facing development workers in Latin America.

11. U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service
This summer I interned with the Forest Service’s policy analysis staff, which operates within the agency’s Research and Development branch. Policy analysis team members provide analysis to assist agency decision-makers. Their duties include preparing short issue briefs and longer reports and even speechwriting.

At the start of my internship, I was given an opportunity to familiarize myself with the longer-term projects that the policy staff has been charged with exploring and to complete selected projects or propose related assignments. I was able to propose and complete a paper summarizing the potential for wind, solar, and geothermal development on Forest Service lands and challenges to this development. I also created an overview of several large workforce initiatives the agency is managing. I enjoyed engaging in the review process that the policy analysis staff applies to each product.

In addition to writing, I served as a reviewer for documents written by other policy analysis staff members. This provided an opportunity to learn about the issues that others were working on and to practice editing for concision and clarity.

The staff also values giving interns the “Washington” experience. We met with many different organizations in the city and were given opportunities to meet with leaders up to the top of the Forest Service. This was a great way to take a look at many different workplaces and also discover opportunities at the Forest Service.

12. Child Trends
During the summer of 2011, I was the policy and communications intern for Child Trends, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center that studies children at all stages of development in Washington DC. Child Trends has specialized in research since 1979, but there was less focus on publicizing the research and ensuring its use in informing policy decisions. My primary project was to update the databank fact sheets for style and format. The goal was to make the databank more user friendly and accessible to policy makers as this is the primary web-based format for Child Trends’ research. I was also able to participate in all Policy and Communications Division meetings and to assist with tasks as assigned. I helped to prepare a presentation to the National Alliance to End Homelessness’s Annual Conference and participated in a lobbying effort on behalf of the Alliance with the staff of Senator Herb Kohl (unrelated to the Child Trends activities).

During the course of the internship, I had the opportunity to see how research is packaged and disseminated. I was also able to learn about the process of nonprofit agencies responding to requests for proposals for government and private agencies.

The work environment was very supportive. Staff at Child Trends, and in the Policy and Communications Department, in particular are very open to sharing their experience with me and have created opportunities for me to learn and grow during my internship.

13. Wisconsin Homeland Security Council
As an intern with the Wisconsin Homeland Security Council, I am witnessing the direct formulation of disaster management policy. Comprised of thirteen members, the Council meets quarterly in either Madison or Milwaukee. In addition to advising the governor on matters pertaining to homeland security, the Council coordinates local and state response efforts if natural or terrorist-related emergencies arise.
My internship involves a variety of administrative and research-based tasks. My first day on the job allowed me to assist with the Council’s spring meeting. I am responsible for taking minutes, coordinating the logistical aspects of each meeting, and communicating daily with Council members and state and federal agency representatives. This summer, I have been compiling the 2011 Annual Report on Homeland Security. My supervisor frequently allows me to research and carry out responses to constituents who have contacted the Department of Military Affairs with questions related to personal safety or security. I have also been involved in the creation of events and awareness campaigns for the annual National Preparedness Month in September. This includes participating in brainstorming sessions, contacting statewide clubs, festivals and county managers, organizing speaking events, and assisting the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator as he seeks to widely disseminate information on how citizens can better prepare themselves for emergencies.

This internship has been a fantastic experience in researching, networking, and honing communication skills in a fast-paced, professional environment. I am learning a great deal about the intricacies of working within a state agency and its corresponding bureaucratic structure. Everyone in this workplace is wholeheartedly dedicated to perpetuating good policy that will consistently protect the citizens of Wisconsin.

14. Climate Focus
From June 13th through August 12th, I interned with Climate Focus in Washington, DC. Climate Focus is an advisory company that consults on the development of projects and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They work with companies, governments, development banks, non-governmental and non-profit organizations to reduce emissions in the energy, industry, agriculture and forestry sectors. As an Intern, my work consisted primarily of legal analysis: regarding the viability of a proposed REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) project between a forest-dependent community and a non-profit organization; to study the impact of land-use, forestry and agriculture laws and policies on forest conservation, and to identify obligations and support for REDD projects in international human rights and environmental treaties. In addition, I translated and updated Powerpoint presentations for workshops and proofread reports for delivery to clients and Climate Focus informational reports.

The position was incredibly interesting, as it exposed me to the most pressing legal issues in the design and implementation of REDD projects. It helped me to understand how the design of laws and policies can create perverse incentives, such as increasing the destruction of rainforests. In addition, the position allowed me to utilize my foreign language abilities in a professional manner, as I analyzed legislation written in Spanish and Portuguese and wrote portions of reports in Spanish. Moreover, as addressed in my final internship report, I analyzed how financial benefits gained from reducing greenhouse gas emissions can be equitably and transparently shared among members of forest-dependent communities.