What I Have Learned From My THIS
Experience
Never
did I dream that I would be an Army Ranger interning for a state agency, and on
the verge of graduating college. My internship in the Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources has given me opportunities and experiences that I
otherwise would not have encountered for years. I have discovered personal and
professional abilities to work in various environments and I have met people
who have completely altered my opinion of government.
Joseph Habecker,
It
has been an exciting semester for me, full of new impressions, experiences and
learning. The first day of my internship I came to my office with a positive
attitude and a readiness to learn new things. The first couple of weeks I was
exposed to an array of information about state government. I basically learned
“from scratch” how state government works, how bills are passed, and how the
budget is passed. The weekly seminars with the professionals from state
government were extremely helpful. I also learned a lot by attending committee
hearings on various issues and attending workshops. Things which I considered
to be complicated and uninteresting became clear, understandable, and exciting
to me. Thanks to my sponsor in the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, I acquired
technical research skills that will be useful for future graduate studies. I
learned about different databases and information retrieval.
Lyudmyla Sonchak, Lock Haven University
The
contacts that I have made during this internship with the Department of Public
Welfare will continue to be an integral part of my life, both professionally
and personally for a long time to come. The polish that I have attained through
interacting with professionals will remain with me for my entire life. And
finally, the knowledge that I have gained through research, attending hearings
and meetings, and listening to the expert opinions of various people will
continue to enrich my spirit forever.
Carolyn Bradshaw,
Perhaps
I was naïve, or perhaps I never paid attention in government classes, but the THIS internship opened my eyes to a
state government system I never considered to be so influential on our daily
lives. I chose the Governor’s Policy Office for my placement and through this
office, I have witnessed how the executive branch influences life in the
Commonwealth. My interest in energy independence initiatives was enough for me
to devote my semester-long research project to this legislation. In addition, what
I have learned about myself exceeds all of my assignments of the entire
semester. This internship has shown me I can enter a completely different
environment and comfortably adapt and succeed. I refined my writing skills by
completing assignments unlike those of liberal arts classes. I have been
praised for my discourse and have been given suggestions to improve my
analytical writing. Aside from the technical writing, I am pleased with my new
found ability to adapt to a “traditional” work schedule after balancing the
chaotic work schedule of a college student. I realize at this point that my
internship will benefit me in whatever future direction I take. These experiences
could not have been found in a college setting, no matter how informative the
courses may be. This internship has offered me the chance to gain confidence in
myself. This internship has been the most influential semester of my
undergraduate career.
Christian Geirsson,
I
have learned many fundamental techniques that have made me a better
communicator. First, my writing skills have advanced and I feel confident in
doing tasks expected of me. Next, I am now more eager to attempt things that
intimidate me. Creating briefings for Senator Costa for his daily business made
me a bit nervous, but I have let go of the many reservations that have held me
back and the fear of making mistakes. Additionally, I have learned that my
verbal communication skills, which I have always thought were above average,
have room for improvement. One last note, I have learned and grown from the
respect given to me by all the people whom I have encountered in
Bradley Kramer, West Chester University
My
internship in the legal office of the Department of State has without a doubt
solidified my decision to go to law school. I will definitely have an edge due
to the fact that I have already spent hours observing attorneys in action. This
has proven to be my favorite part of the internship because I have learned a
variety of different techniques and approaches used in the courtroom. The legal
writing skills I have obtained thus far are an invaluable addition to my
education. On a daily basis I am writing something and I am constantly tweaking
my writing skills, from my vocabulary to my grammar. I am also improving my
critical reading and reading comprehension proficiency.
Nicole Radziewicz,
I
interned at the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole. The THIS program provides seminars with
state government officials. I always came prepared, eager, and excited about
those seminars on Monday nights. Committed and gifted speakers are invited to
seminar to speak to the THIS interns. They bring a variety of experiences, perceptions,
and attitudes to these discussions. I am always appreciative of the insight the
speakers give the THIS interns about
their Commonwealth positions. I have learned so much information about state
government by listening to these speakers.
Stephanie Kelly,