Great opportunities to get to know Foreign Service Officers in both the Commerce Department and the State Department.
Activities and events for interns to learn about careers in foreign service, including meetings with high-level officials and brown bag lunches.
Attended trade shows and meetings, such as CES Asia and a meeting with GM China's head engineer regarding regulatory barriers in the Chinese market.
Work was content oriented (market research, event planning) rather than administrative intern tasks like answering phones or faxes.
What I wish was different
I would get an assignment and then be free to do the research/report with little guidance. I would have liked more guidance and collaborative work (spent pretty much all day alone at my desk except for lunch and some meetings), although the independence allowed me to be proactive and show initiative which was a great skill to practice.
Advice
You really get out what you put in! They gave me lots of independence which allowed me to demonstrate my own abilities and practice setting my own priorities and deadlines. Interning abroad was an amazing experience both professionally and personally.
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International Trade Intern
February - June 2018 • Portland, OR
What I liked
I liked the trade specialists I worked with as well as the other interns. I also got a basic understanding of the export process.
What I wish was different
I wish it was longer and paid.
Advice
Don’t expect to understand everything abou international trade once finished and expect to do some menial tasks. But a good experience overall.
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Commercial Assistant
May - August 2018 • Richmond, VA
What I liked
The atmosphere in the office was really welcoming, and the work was interesting
What I wish was different
I wish it had been paid
Advice
Be ready to hit the ground running
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Financial Management Intern (Public Sector)
June - July 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Supervisors are supportive
What I wish was different
Advice
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Intern
January - June 2017 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Supportive work environment, encouraging supervisors, opened up future intern opportunities
What I wish was different
More long-term projects
Advice
Keep in contact with your former employers--they can open doors for you
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International trade intern
January - June 2017 • Tarentum, PA
What I liked
The workplace environment was excellent to help my professional development. The trade specialists trusted meaningful work with the interns and gave exceptional effort to improve our office skills.
What I wish was different
The internship was unpaid. 16+ hours in the office and the commute downtown and back 3 times a week is a lot of time during a busy semester, especially if you rely on another job for money.
Advice
During the fall and spring term, interns are expected to spend 16 hours a week in the office. The best thing to do is to schedule large blocks of time (such as two 8 hour days) to limit the time you spend commuting downtown. You should consider this when you schedule your classes.
