Dyvonne Body is a third year International Affairs and Modern Languages (IAML) major, concentrating in French. She has studied abroad with the French LBAT, and next semester she will take part in Georgia Tech’s D.C. Internship Program. She recently held an internship with GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group during Georgia’s 2015 Legislative Session. Dyvonne says this internship has helped her acquire appropriate skills in government affairs by interacting closely with the Georgia General Assembly, in addition to expansive inside experience within the state government. These skills will serve her well, as after graduating, she wants to continue working for the government, particularly on Capitol Hill within the legislative branch. We asked her a few questions about how her time at Tech has helped her succeed in this internship.
What do you enjoy most about your internship and what do you find most challenging?
The most enjoyable aspect of my internship is being at the State Capitol everyday while meeting legislators and other important officials throughout Georgia. Also, it is exciting to actually see the legislative process play out right in front of me. The most challenging aspect of my internship is balancing multiple tasks throughout the day. The legislature is always busy. When things get hectic, they rely on interns to carry a heavy load.
Tell us about an experience that made an impression on you during your internship.
One experience that has had a grand impression on me was the Eggs & Issues Breakfast at the beginning of the legislative session. At the breakfast, Governor Nathan Deal and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle expressed which pieces of legislation were most important to them and to Georgia. After two months of working in the legislature, I have been able to watch these bills grow, change, and amend – not only within the legislature, but in the media. Being able to track important bills throughout the session has given me much insight into the way America creates its laws.
In what ways did your time at Tech prepare you for the internship?
The most valuable skill I’ve picked up at Tech is the ability to balance multiple tasks at any given time. My internship requires me to be at many places throughout Capitol Hill while juggling different assignments at the same time. Every student at Tech has had a taste of this by taking multiple challenging classes within any given semester. Tech has also helped me develop and implement a “problem solver” mindset that we Yellow Jackets are known for!
