Anna Hunter, Senior Economics and International Affairs major, is interning in Washington at the Department of Defense. She writes about her experience and opportunities for other Georgia Tech students available:
This summer I have been interning with the Department of Defense in there OSD Policy’s International Security Affairs’ Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia office. This internship has been an amazing experience, and I believe any international affairs and policy majors would greatly appreciate the opportunity.
This internship for me has been essential in figuring out steps for my post-undergraduate career, gaining knowledge of federal agencies inner-workings and relationships, observing and developing of US foreign policy, and I gained a security clearance at no cost to me. I believe this internship would be very beneficial to anyone interested. Personally, I never DoD had undergraduate internships until I met someone already with the Department, and the internship website does not advertise the program very well.The interns are mostly graduate students, but they do not discriminate against undergraduates. There are vast specialties to intern with, for example: my Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia office has a Conventional Arms Control Team, Russia policy team, and Balkans, Caucasus, and Black Sea team. Each team converges somewhat, but they each have their own specific agendas. This is just my office let alone any of the other offices within the umbrella of DoD. I have already been told for students interested in the application that DoD wants prospective interns to be somewhat specific in where they would like to be placed for the internship; this makes it is easier to place interns, however this specification is no guarantee of placement nor will they reject an applicant if their desired office does not wish to host an intern. “
The DoD provides internship applications through this WHS website:
http://www.whs.mil/our-services/people-services/volunteer-student-internship-program
This is an unpaid internship with flexible scheduling and requires a security clearance, however the interns must live within the greater DC area in order to work within the DoD offices.
Anna also writes, “My office already asked me to reach out to Georgia Tech because they thought my capabilities were excellent, thus they want more Tech interns! Jessica Richmond is the Point of Contact for my office and does not mind if anyone interested in interning with Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia or within DoD wants to contact her and send their resume. Her e-mail is: jessica.b.richmond.ctr@mail.mil. “
