Recently in Government Category

Day I
Hello everyone!
My first day at the United States Department of Education was absolutely amazing. I arrived in the capital not knowing what to expect. Marveling at the landmark government buildings just blocks away, I walked nervously up the steps that lead to the Department. I had no idea that I was going to have the opportunity to see internal government affairs as well as have the opportunity to meet top government officials, all during the hectic time period before the President's State of the Union Address.

Everything moved very quickly that day. The air of excitement surrounding the President's speech was virtually tangible! During that day, a plethora of events were occurring as the Department of Education prepared for Tuesday evening. Mr. Massie Ritsch ('98), my mentor during the Princeternship, brought me to an array of top government meetings within his department. I was given the wonderful opportunity to sit in on a confidential debriefing between top White House officials and the Department of Education's political appointees. I was then whisked away to another important meeting where the department discussed an upcoming international summit for education. I was able to listen as the Department's leaders talked to representatives from all over world about this upcoming event.

The rest of the day proved even more exciting as I had the opportunity to meet, speak to, and take a picture with the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan! He was a pretty cool guy. After our brief discussion, I sat in on an amazing talk between the Department's teaching fellows (a select group of the best teachers in the nation) as they discussed pertinent issues in education policy and government implementation of programs.

All in all, the first day was more than I could have ever asked for or expected. Things moved so fast, I barely realized that I'd been in the nation's capital for an entire day. It felt great to watch the President's speech and hear him talk about education reform, knowing that I had just been right in the middle of all the excitement.

Day II
Day two proved to be another amazing day at the Department of Education. We had a shortened schedule due to an impending snowstorm, but I had the opportunity to do a lot for the time that I was there. This day, I was actually given some tasks to complete. I wondered how useful I would be, seeing as I had no experience in government affairs. I worked on a letter for the Deputy Secretary of Communications and Outreach, congratulating a school that had just won the Blue Ribbon School Award for academic excellence. Truthfully, I was surprised to see that Mr. Massie actually used the letter that I wrote! It was a very rewarding experience.

I also did some awesome work for the upcoming International Summit on the Teaching Profession. I was given the task to call the offices of top American educational leaders and invite them to the summit. I spoke to the offices of the NAACP, the offices of governors, and the offices of top education-based nonprofit organizations. It was amazing getting the chance to actually work directly for the department and have an instrumental role in setting up the event.

Day III
The snow fell relentlessly the night before, blanketing Washington DC. I wondered if my day would be shortened, or worse, if my schedule would be cancelled. Thankfully, that was not the case. A few of my appointments were cut short due to the weather, but I still had a lot to do my last day.

Specifically, I was given the task to conduct research on a legal case in Arizona. Mr. Massie, my mentor, wanted to know more about a recent conflict between Arizona taxpayers and a government program that backed up donations to Student Tuition Organizations. I learned a lot as I compiled the data on this case.

I was also able to meet one-on-one with some surprisingly young political appointees. One thing that I learned at the Department was that a lot of people were very, very, young. I spoke to two recent Harvard graduates who worked on policy for the Department of Education. They described to me in great detail their journeys to becoming political appointees and their passion for the work that they do. It was inspiring to see such young people doing amazing things in the nation's capital!

Even though the Princeternship experience was short, I felt as if I had been there for weeks! I learned so much during this time period and would love to do something like this again. I am inexpressibly thankful for this opportunity and thank Princeton, Mr. Massie Ritsch, his assistant Kim Morton, and the rest of the department for this fantastic opportunity!

This was one of the best experiences of my life! I've learned so much about the government and my perspectives have definitely changed about how the government works. I now see that everything works very fast-paced and is extremely energy-filled. As a freshman, this has helped me to see that I want to continue learning about policy and education reform. This experience has reinforced my desire to further change in my own community and provide resources for the students who are fighting for a better education.

If you're a freshman interested in government, policy, or just education in general, go for this opportunity!

January 5, 2011
 
Wow!  If only I could find the proper words to truly capture my first Princeternship day with the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC!  It was extremely enlightening (to say the least!) to learn about the different offices of the approximately 4,000 federal employee Department.  My Princeternship is specifically with Mr. Massie Ritsch ('98), who is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for External Affairs and Outreach, housed under the Office of Communications and Outreach.  Today, Mr. Ritsch described the Office of Communications and Outreach (OCO) as essentially being the "switchboard" for the Department of Education, serving as the key link between the Department and the public, and ensuring that there are open avenues of communication in both directions.  I was extremely fortunate to gain an overall sense of what the Office of Communications and Outreach does, in addition to learning about Mr. Ritsch's role in overlooking the efforts of the Communications and Outreach team - including outreach to the community, schools, parents, education associations, and the business community. 
 
Upon arriving at my Princeternship this morning and being welcomed by a very kind and helpful Special Assistant, I received a full schedule of what I would be participating in during the course of the next few days.  It seemed a bit overwhelming at first to look at all the meetings that I would be attending and the different department officials that I would be speaking to, but I simply took a deep breath and jumped right into the game!  My day began with a tour of the office, followed by a brief meeting where staff members discussed Arne Duncan's agenda for the upcoming weeks, followed by a briefing about the National Youth Summit - which is coming up later in February.  (See photo with Secretary Arne Duncan to the right.)
 
Today I actually felt like I was wearing several hats, some of which included feeling like a reporter, since I was asking so many questions throughout the day!  Beyond feeling like an extremely privileged visitor at the Department of Education, I actually felt like a team member as well, as I was given an overview of a few assignments that I would be doing during my Princeternship.  In addition to absorbing as much as I can about the various roles and tasks of the OCO and of the Department of Education in general, I will also be helping out with logistical matters related to the National Youth Summit, as well as preparing some material for an upcoming Blue Ribbon Recognition Program event - which is one of several Department of Education school recognition programs.
 
Needless to say, it was a very busy day, ranging from having the opportunity to sit in on meetings and briefings, to meeting individually with a few staff members and hearing about their experiences working in the U.S. Department of Education.  I am definitely looking forward to what the next few days have in store for me!

January 6, 2011
 
It was another exhilarating day today, as I had the opportunity to see Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, speak at a "Back-to-School" panel event at Sousa Middle School, which is a DC public school that has shown dramatic improvements in standardized test scores over the past few years.  This event was pretty exciting for several reasons, some of which included how it was the first event of the new year where such key officials as the Interim Chancellor of DC Public School, Kaya Henderson, as well as the new DC Mayor, Vincent Gray, came together with Secretary Arne Duncan to publicly address the students, parents, teachers, and several other community members about the recent progress of Sousa Middle School and of the DC public school system in general.  Each panelist had the opportunity to speak for a few minutes before opening up the discussion with questions from the audience and later from the media.
 
It was truly phenomenal to witness the coming together of so many different individuals who are all concerned about the education of the children of DC and of the rest of the country as well.  Sure, the key officials and many other individuals who were at the event may certainly have differences in opinion, but it was incredible to see these public figures come together to let the community know about the plans for the remainder of the academic year and beyond.  Given my Princeternship with the Office of Communications and Outreach (OCO), I have had the unique opportunity to observe the different dynamics going on, both at the political level (which is very much a key factor at these types of events), and at the community level, thus seeing how it is that the Department of Education reaches out to the public.  It is interesting to think about how the Office of Communications and Outreach essentially bridges these two realms together through such efforts as having panels comprised of federal and local officials.
 
In addition to this main event for the day, I also sat in on a strategy meeting with Mr. Ritsch and several other representatives from a few departmental offices.  This meeting allowed me to witness communication efforts at the internal level, in contrast to the communication taking place between the Department of Education and the public.  I also continued to work on my National Youth Summit Project, in which I helped draft invitation letters to several senior administration officials to serve as speakers and discussion facilitators at the summit.  Later in the afternoon, I was also able to visit the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is also part of the US Department of Education but is located in a different building.
 
Overall, today I certainly felt a bit more settled and comfortable, in terms of having a clearer understanding of the OCO and its office dynamics.  I was not the entirely wide-eyed intern anymore!  In any case, I nevertheless felt a bit overwhelmed (in a good way!) with the information overload, as I have been trying to process everything that I have been experiencing thus far.  One more day of my Princeternship, and as usual, I am very excited!

January 7, 2011
 
I cannot believe how quickly these past 3 days have flown by...it truly feels like everything so far has been a dream and that I am going to wake up tomorrow, thinking, "Did all of this really happen?!"  It is incredible how time has gone by in the blink of an eye, yet it also feels like I have been at the Department of Education for weeks, rather than days.  I guess it seems like I have been here for longer than 3 days just because I feel so comfortable in the office and have established such wonderful relationships with several individuals from the Office of Communications and Outreach (OCO). 
 
Fortunately, I was able to have some downtime today to work on the Blue Ribbon Project that Mr. Ritsch had asked me to help out with.  Of the several amazing experiences that I have had during the past few days, I especially enjoyed being assigned a few tasks to complete during my Princeternship.  As I mentioned before, my main responsibilities included drafting a invitation letter to senior administration officials about the upcoming National Youth Summit, as well as preparing background information about a charter school that recently received the Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award, which recognizes schools that have made significant increases in state test scores and/or are demonstrating remarkable proficiency levels.  Even if my tasks were minor ones (compared to the OCO's larger projects), I nevertheless felt like I made a contribution to the overall efforts of the Department of Education.  I am honored that I was given responsibilities to take care of during my short time here at the Department of Education, as the Department trusted me to be a team member and contribute something.  And for that, I am truly grateful.
 
I honestly feel like one of the luckiest people in the whole world, given all of the wonderful experiences of this past week, especially having the opportunity to meet Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and take a photo with him.  I even received a signed copy of the photograph, along with a written message from Mr. Duncan himself!  I don't think I will ever get over the extreme feeling of being awestruck when I first saw Secretary Duncan in person and took a very quick glance of his office, which is just a couple floors above the Office of Communications and Outreach - where I was for my Princeternship.  It is absolutely incredible to meet individuals like Secretary Duncan, who are such influential figures in our country, and who are regular people just like everybody else!  And even beyond meeting Secretary Duncan, I am thrilled to have met some of his team of Assistant Secretaries (such as Peter Cunningham) and Deputy Assistant Secretaries (such as Massie Ritsch), who are also key figures in allowing the Department to function smoothly.
 
Of course, I wish that I could have spent more time with the Department of Education, as three days are nowhere near enough time to fully experience all of the Department's efforts.  Given all the time constraints, however, three days certainly allowed for an incredible introduction to this Department, whose primary goal is to ensure that our nation's schools are meeting the needs of all students.  I am forever indebted to all of the kind individuals who made me feel welcomed at the U.S. Department of Education and feel like a team member, even if I was only there for a very brief period of time.  Thank you, Princeton Office of Career Services, and the United States Department of Education, for providing me with this opportunity to participate in this Princeternship!

(The photo above with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was taken at Sousa Middle School, where Secretary Duncan participated in a panel discussion with DC Mayor: Vincent Gray, Interim Chancellor of DC Public Schools: Kaya Henderson, and the President of the Washington Teachers' Union: Nathan Saunders.  Dwan Jordan, the principal of Sousa Middle School, was the discussion facilitator.)

Schedule for the day:
4:30 AM: wake-up time
5:30 AM: LIRR to New York Penn Station
8:00 AM: arrive at Newark Penn Station
9:00 AM: Morristown National Historical Park Visit--visit with Chief of Cultural Resources
11:00 AM: Edison National Historical Site--visit with Museum Manager
12:30 PM: lunch at Ellis Island
1:00 PM: Ellis Island--visit with Archeologist
4:00 PM: Statue of Liberty--visit with Rangers
5:00 PM: ferry back to Manhattan
6:00 PM: LIRR home

My Hosts:
For my Princeternship with the U.S. National Park Service, I had two wonderful hosts, Mr. Bruce Schundler ('70) and his wife, Mrs. Sara Schundler. Both became Rangers after very different careers. Mr. Schundler had been an ordained minister and then manager of a manufacturing business while Mrs. Schundler had been a physical therapist. They have worked as Rangers at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, Mesa Verde, Colorado, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. We visited both Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, in addition to two parks in New Jersey. Mr. Schundler had pointed out that parks vary significantly from place to place, so I opted for an early start to our day to allow us to visit as many parks as possible.

Morristown:
The Morristown National Historical Park was the smallest of the parks we stopped at. I spoke with Jude Pfister, the Chief of Cultural Resources. Mr. Pfister studied history as an undergraduate and graduate and later earned a PhD in history. He pointed out that many people who think that they want to go into teaching and academics early on actually end up working in museums and archives. Since the park has a fairly small staff, Mr. Pfister has a wide range of responsibilities. Besides more museum-oriented work, like cataloging the collection, he runs a Primary Source Seminar for high school students. Mr. Pfister also discussed the "branding" of the National Parks, and how they are more often associated with recreational activities and picnics than academic research. But Morristown puts a great emphasis on research--it has over 300,000 items in its archives and a library that boasts an impressive array of first editions and other important documents.

Edison:
At the Edison National Historical Park, I spoke with Michelle Ortwein, the Supervisory Museum Curator. She had studied finance as an undergraduate, worked in that field for a few years and was unhappy with it, and then went back to school to study in museum studies and historic preservation. She did say that her knowledge of finance helped a lot when figuring out budgets for the Park. Ms. Ortwein's job consists mostly of supervising and managing the different projects being worked on at any given time. She is also the volunteers coordinator. Like Mr. Pfister, Ms. Ortwein deals with a variety of tasks, dealing with problems as they arise each day.

Ms. Ortwein also noted how those who work for the NPS and want to be promoted almost always have to move to another Park. The Schundlers concurred with this, and added that if you work in the Northeast, you can usually stay in the Northeast. But in other parts of the US, you may have to move all over the place to in order to work your way up in the NPS hierarchy.

After speaking with Ms. Ortwein, the Schundlers and I got to poke around Edison's library and factory, which are both amazing. I would recommend a visit if you have not been here before. The "just in case" room is especially fantastic--I have no idea what Edison thought he needed baleen, rhinoceros horns, or animal hooves for, but this room is the quintessential inventor's workshop.

Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty:
Since this is where Mr. and Mrs. Schundler work as Rangers, they gave me a tour of the two sites, much as they would on any given day of work. For more on working as a Ranger, there is a plethora of information available on the Schundlers' website, www.schundler.net, including tidbits about all the Parks the Schundlers have worked at and what a typical daily schedule for a Ranger looks like.
At Ellis Island, I met with archeologist Richard Holmes. NPS is one of the largest employers of archeologists, and there are around 200-300 NPS archeologists across the US. Mr. Holmes has worked in 14 different states and at historic and prehistoric sites. I was amazed by the mountains of paperwork in the archeology office--a great deal of research must be done before changes can be made in the Parks, like putting in a new road, so as not to destroy any underlying artifacts or remains. Something interesting Mr. Holmes pointed out that I had never thought of before is that in doing an actual dig, you basically destroy the site. There is constant debate between whether archeologists should dig or leave things as they are and preserve what's there.

What I Learned:
One of the most important things I will take away about the NPS is the incredible people who work there--people of all ages and from all walks of life, and I just loved speaking with them. In addition to the people Mr. Schundler specifically planned for me to meet, we also got to talk to all the Rangers who happened to be around, each with an interesting story to tell. I was pleasantly surprised by how Rangers from different parks all seemed to know each other, or to at least have a few mutual acquaintances--the NPS is a great network of people.

I would definitely recommend a Princeternship to other students, especially in a field that they have not considered before. It's a great way to try something new without committing a whole summer or semester to it in an internship. Princeternships are also excellent for those who are not absolutely certain what they want to do after Princeton. I made sure to try and ask all the people I met how they had ending up in the NPS, whether they had gone to grad school right away or later on, what they had studied, etc. My particular Princeternship was especially fun--I felt like a lucky tourist getting an individualized, behind-the-scenes tour of everything.