Career Trek to Washington D.C. with the Institute of Politics

Hello readers! The last quarter has finally started for those of us in our second year here at Harris. I wanted to share my last spring break journey as a student with you!

Over this past spring break, I went to Washington D.C. on the career trek with the Institute of Politics (IOP). It wasn’t quite Miami or Cancun, but it was GREAT! And I LOVED IT!

Why did you join the IOP Career Trek to DC?

I spent last summer interning at the World Bank in D.C. That experience deepened my passion for international development policy and I wanted to explore my career options in that field. I knew I could do that by participating in Career Trek. The trip was also fully funded by IOP, so I applied and got in!

What did you do during Career Trek?

For about three days, we visited many organizations including the Senate Office, Human Rights Watch, Urban Institute, and NPR. Even though I am pursuing a career in international development, it was a great opportunity to see what other options are available for my career in the long term.

It was really helpful that each site visit ended with a chance to ask questions and get a feel for the kind of work environment each organization offers. This allowed me firsthand insight into whether or not that organization was the type of place I would want to work for in the future.

We also attended an event at Georgetown University featuring Eric Holder, former Attorney General of the United States where gerrymandering was discussed.

​​​What were your favorite things about Career Trek?

Most of the students who came on the Trek are interested in getting involved in U.S. or international politics. One of the UChicago alumni we met with currently works in President Obama’s personal office. It was really interesting to hear about her career journey, beginning as an intern at the White House, to her current role as a researcher in his personal office. Her story resonated, particularly because of her success at a young age through hard work and building connections.

Another thing I really liked about the Trek, and was grateful to the IOP organizers for including in the program, was the flexibility. Even though the official schedule was hectic, IOP organizers allowed some discretionary time to visit other organizations that were of interest to me.

During my time in D.C., I was able to meet with my former supervisors at the World Bank, professors from George Washington University where I did my study abroad during undergrad, and several colleagues whom I worked with in D.C.

Apart from the Career Trek, I also loved being in Washington D.C. again. There are so many interesting opportunities happening all the time around the field of policy, including policy debates, speaker events, and international forums just to name a few.

I ended my trip to D.C. by meeting up with some colleagues from my current internship at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs for the 2018 Global Food Security Symposium.