To really apply yourself so you can take away a lot from it.
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Intern
August - December 2020 • Tucson, AZ
What I liked
They treat you like a real employee
What I wish was different
I wish I would have been able to go in person
Advice
Work hard and remember that feedback isn't on you as a person but just on your work
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Officer
June - September 2019 • El Paso, TX
What I liked
Everything
What I wish was different
I stayed longer
Advice
Not everything is as it seems
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Purchasing agent
March 2017 • Boston, MA
What I liked
The federal benefits
What I wish was different
Advice
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Risk Management and Internal Controls Analyst
May 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I enjoyed having the opportunity to experience working for the federal government performing risk assessments for US Citizenship and Immigration Services be an hour of the Department of Homeland Security in order to assist the agency in achieving its objective to protect and secure the U.S. and it’s citizens. I have been able to gain invaluable experience that’s will help me to pursue a career in Intelligence with the U. S. Government in the future and have had the opportunity to continue working for USCIS after graduation.
What I wish was different
Advice
My biggest piece of advice would be to have an open mind in any internship experience and participate in as many duties and projects as you can even if they are outside of your comfort zone or expertise. My experience has allowed me to work in my chosen field of IT but also assist with the financial and operational teams. Having different and diverse skills will make you more appealing to an employer because they will be able to throw anything at you and have the confidence you can adapt quickly and produce quality results.
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Student Trainee
June 2019 • Fairfax, VA
What I liked
I really like the fact that I was exposed to different work areas within USCIS. I get to talk to different employees about their experience in DHS and how they got to the position they are in today. It's interesting learning what goes on behind the scenes.
What I wish was different
There's nothing that I wish was different because I've really enjoyed my time interning there since I got to learn a lot.
Advice
Networking and asking questions is really important so don't be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and talk to new people!
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Intelligence Analysis Intern
June - August 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
They gave me direct projects and allowed me to work as a part of the unit. Reports and projects I worked on over the summer were disseminated to clients, which was a great feeling of doing something that mattered and had an impact.
What I wish was different
Longer internship!
Advice
Do not pass it up! This opportunity was amazing and if I could already go back and do it again I would.
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Student Intern
March 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
The environment was very friendly and encouraging
What I wish was different
I wasn’t working directly with my field of interest
Advice
The OCFO is an excellent area for a career
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IT Intern
June - August 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I enjoyed the ability to work on a project of my choosing and truly lead the development of it. I was able to communicate with executives, managers, and technical specialists allowing me to experience the full hierarchy of a national IT department.
What I wish was different
While I enjoyed working on my single project, I wish that I could have hopped around and worked on different issues. I came to learn a lot about cloud computing and cyber security policy, but I think I would've also enjoyed exploring other topics.
Advice
Be outgoing. The best opportunities are afforded to you when you ask how you can help. By being an intern, you're not held with the same expectations as a normal employee and may be able to sit in on meetings and interact with individuals you couldn't as a normal employee.
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Research Assistant
May - June 2019 • Charlotte, NC
What I liked
The thing I liked most was traveling to NCSU on the final day to present our project / findings in front of a handful of their grad students. We also got to hear about their research, and took a tour of their different departments as well.
What I wish was different
The entirety of the project was based on identifying the most optimal amount of contraflow control lanes for use in Charlotte in the event of a hurricane, which wasn't all that interesting. So if I was to change something, I'd change the topic/focus.
Advice
I would say go into it open minded. The software and tech that we used looked and felt outdated, but having a positive attitude and remaining on the same page made our project a success.
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Intern, Civil Rights Institute
May - August 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
There were lots of opportunities to engage in self-driven research and projects, and the office made it easy for us to learn more about the department and its components.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Student intern
September - December 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
The experiences and exposure i received.
What I wish was different
More things to do. More responsibilities
Advice
Have an open mind.
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Senior Intern
June - July 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I enjoyed working with the day to day employees of the USICIS.
What I wish was different
More time to experience the fast paced envrioment.
Advice
Great opportunity! Take some risks with your life and, like this one, paid off tremendously.
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Emergency Planning Intern
August 2018 • Phoenix, AZ
What I liked
I enjoyed the flexibility in working projects as they came up. I could see how I was directly using my expertise in supply chain and information systems to assist adjusting and auditing operating procedures.
What I wish was different
none
Advice
Be proactive and keep asking for more work, otherwise you might get left alone for long periods of time. The position was meant to be able to work independently with little supervision.
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Cyber Student Intern
June - September 2018 • Fairfax, VA
What I liked
I learned a lot about web development, and became a more independent programmer.
What I wish was different
I didn't have a car and didn't know many people in the area, so enjoying being alone was difficult at times.
Advice
Working for the government can be as frustrating as people say!
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Airport Security Screener
July 2013 • Anchorage, AK
What I liked
Long hours, nice paycheck
What I wish was different
More me time
Advice
Expect to work
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Student Trainee
May 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Getting to go abroad to Malaysia to support the process of admitting refugees into the US.
What I wish was different
Nothing.
Advice
Be open to unexpected opportunities!
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Student Trainee, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
May - July 2017 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Interesting material, treated well by supervisor and others, able to see a government agency operate from the inside
What I wish was different
At times there wasn't a whole lot for me to do
Advice
Make the most of the opportunities given to you! I got to do cool things like attend a Senate hearing!
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Research Fellow
June - September 2018 • Los Alamos, NM
What I liked
It was a very interesting and unique atmosphere at LANL, given its historical prominence as a center for the development of nuclear energy and weapons.
What I wish was different
The location was rather remote and I found it difficult to find housing and people to socialize with.
Advice
Start looking for housing as soon as possible, and make an effort to meet people - it will be difficult to do either at the last minute.
