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February 17, 2023 | I’ll be honest with you; the internship process is rough but it’s very rewarding. I am a freshman in my second semester with an internship at an organization with a mission that I care about. My internship is at AIPAC, the Â鶹´«Ã½ Israel Public Affairs Committee which lobbies for closer ties between the United States and Israel through research initiatives, economic cooperation, and militarily such as support for the Iron Dome Program. They do work other than lobbying too. I’m in the trips department where we bring high level government officials and influential members of the community to Israel so they can better understand its culture and people. I love working there because it’s a very young and vibrant work environment filled with people who all care deeply about the work they do. Everyone is very excited to help and collaborate with one another. I should also mention I’ve had the opportunity to get coffee with senior staff members. I really feel like just another member of the AIPAC not just an intern.

It's not just my internship that I love though, campus life at AU is equally rewarding. It seems like there are always prominent speakers on campus. On Wednesday, I went to a conversation with Terence Samuel, Vice President of NPR, where he talks about the need for local media and on Friday, I got to see the British Ambassador speak about her experiences in foreign policy and explain current UK foreign policy. Plus, there is always something interesting happening downtown which is only a hop, skip, and a jump on the Metro. Recently, my boyfriend, Ben, and I pop down to Capitol Hill to watch the sunset over the National Mall which was breathtaking albeit a bit cold. The good news is we could stop on campus for some hot chocolate before going back to the dorms.

Sometimes between work and campus life I almost forget I have to go to class. Still, most of my classes are interesting and engaging and I adore all of my professors. My favorite class so far this semester is Critical Issues in Justice. The professor is incredibly knowledgeable and is always challenging the way I think which helps me sharpen my mind. I’m also looking forward to doing a police ride along for the class later this semester with MPD. I think one of the reasons why I like my Justice classes so much is because they are so hands on. When you Study in DC, all the things you’ve learned in the classroom suddenly becomes reality. The semester has been great so far and I can’t wait to see how the rest of it goes!

March 10, 2023 | Wow, it’s been a crazy couple of weeks, I can't wait to share with you everything I’ve been doing. I’m excited to announce that at work I have been transferred from the Trips Department to Political Engagement. In Political Engagement I am getting a better view of the lobbying side of the organization. I am currently working on compiling a list of every scheduler for each member of congress to be used to book congresspeople for future events we hold. But beyond what I’m working on now I have gotten to attend more meetings and my new supervisor has been more than welcoming and I really appreciate how clear she was when setting expectations for me in my new position. I will, however, miss the trip's department. I’ve grown very fond of my coworkers there and I learned a lot from them about how to act in a professional setting along with other valuable skills such as becoming fluent in using Salesforce and Excel. The thing I'm most excited about though is the inaugural AIPAC youth leadership conference that I'll be attending the weekend at the end of spring break in downtown DC.  

Despite how busy I’ve still found plenty of time to hang out with friends and visit downtown. Even during work, sometimes during my lunch break I walk to the National Portrait Gallery and enjoy some of the paintings there. I’ve been doing it every week and I’m almost 2/3 of the way through the museum!

Sunday as always, I met up with some friends and played Axis and Allies 1940 after three 5-hour game sessions we finally finished with our side losing decisively which was a little disappointing but there’s always next time. Last week, I also had a chance to attend an AU men’s basketball game with the Cornerstone Program and had a great time hanging out and watching the game with my friends and the Cornerstone Team. Overall though the most meaningful thing I’ve done this week and probably this month was going to the Turkish Embassy to sort donations for refugees. It was five hours of nonstop sorting but together me and my friends Aylin and Kenny and the staff of the embassy sorted through hundreds of items that are now on their way to Southern Turkey. Finally, I have unfortunate news. My roommate has decided to withdraw due to wellness related matters. While I’m disappointed because I’m going to miss her a lot, I know it’s what’s best for her. On the bright side of things, we had one last roomie dinner together at Clyde’s. It’s been a wild time having her for a roommate, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way! 

Despite all the fun I’ve been having I have also had to make sure I take enough time to study with midterms coming up. I’m particularly worried about my stats midterm but I’ve been studying so hopefully I will get a decent grade. I’ve personally found that it is necessary to find time to study where you can. I like to read on the Metro, so I’ve taken to studying on the way to and from work. I’ve also been looking for internships to do over the summer, my local congressman or perhaps something with the City Council. It’s a long process and you have to have a lot of patience during when searching for an internship. You also have to become ok with rejections because you are going to get a lot of no's when looking before you get any yeses. Overall, it’s been very busy but that’s how I like it so I can’t complain.  

April 12, 2023 | In my last update, I mentioned that I would be attending AIPAC’s Political Youth Leadership Summit. It was an incredible opportunity that culminated with lobbying representative Glen Ivey on the danger Iran poses and the benefits of the US-Israeli relationship. I Learned so much and made so many friends from across the country within the pro-Israel community. Other than that things have been pretty quiet at work as things wind down for Passover but I have been promised it will get very busy very quickly after we return. I have also started the process of looking for summer internships back home in Virginia. It seems likely at least for the moment that I will be a records intern at Bayport Credit Union.

The following weekend I also had the honor and privilege of meeting the iconic Angela Davis when she came to speak on campus. I'm currently a fellow of the Kennedy political union which brings many speakers to campus as part of my work I often get to meet some truly incredible people. The Fellows just completed our end of year capstone where we had to plan and execute an event all on our own, it was a very hard process but it actually turned out quite well. I also got final approval to start March for Our Lives AU and I’m excited to announce I will be co-president of next year. Other than that it’s finally iced coffee season again so I have been sitting out on the quad with friends a lot.

Finally, I went to see the cherry blossoms that the Sakura Festival downtown. There were all kinds of performances along with the natural beauty of the cherry blossoms. I also got to go visit my friend Aidan who goes to our crosstown rival George Washington University and works as a private secretary for a congresswoman. He showed me around the capitol while we caught up on each other's lives and just overall had a very pleasant time. I’ve definitely had more time on my hands recently as my classes begin to wind down for the year. I’m starting a couple of final papers and getting ready for finals in a few weeks but other than that it has been remarkably quiet. Overall it has been busy but things are getting a bit easier and far more manageable.