A Q&A with CHaSS student Jacob Sagers
How did you learn about this internship?
I heard about my internship through the Department of State's website. I was interested in opportunities working [with them] my freshman year, and I stumbled upon their new paid student internship.
Tell us about the details of your internship. Did you live in D.C.? What kind of projects did you participate in?
My internship was for ten weeks in Washington, D.C. at the Center for Analytics (CfA) over the summer. My projects included designing a dashboard tool with ArcGIS that showcases data and artificial intelligence awards and usages throughout the Department. This tool has been used to help CfA with its data literacy initiatives, courses at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), and internal work. I was also able to volunteer at the NATO summit, help my team plan an event with the Secretary of State, shadow at FSI, and assist in various organizational projects and side projects.
Did you receive funding or other support for your internship?
Alongside the internship's salary, I received $750 from the CHaSS Experiential Learning Fund to assist with flights, buying formal work attire, and housing.
Were USU faculty involved in encouraging you to apply or telling you about this opportunity?
Dr. Austin Knuppe in the Department of Political Science was a big supporter. He pushed me to gain professional experience working in foreign policy in Washington, D.C. and assisted me with the application.
What do you consider the most valuable part of this experience?
Gaining applied learning experiences and practical insight into what I have been studying was the most valuable part of this experience. I have learned about foreign policy and other avenues of international relations in my classes, but it was good to gain hands-on experience working within the institutions and topics we cover. Seeing how federal bureaucracy works down to an office level was very informative and eye-opening.
Were there any challenges?
I am from rural Utah so adapting to D.C.'s work and social culture was an adjustment for me. I was also the only intern in my office too, which was an initial challenge. Luckily, I had an amazing team that worked to make me feel included, gave me career and personal life advice, and even invited me to events outside of work hours.
Why is it meaningful to intern while you’re in college?
Internships help narrow down your career interests and post-graduation plans. I learned about a lot of different avenues for working in international relations while in D.C. and having coffee chats with various people. My internship also helped me realize what I am interested in pursuing after graduation. None of that would have occurred if I did not pursue this opportunity.
Do you have advice for students applying for internships?
Just apply and use resources available to you to achieve these internships. My internship had around a 7% acceptance rate from those who applied. I almost did not even proceed with the application because it appeared daunting. However, faculty support and taking a leap of faith — while following deadlines — led me to apply and receive my security clearance and internship.
Jacob Sagers is pursuing a double major in French and political science with minors in international studies and data analytics. An active USU student, Sagers is an Honors peer mentor and an undergraduate writing fellow who has conducted research with the Aggie Geopolitical Observatory and participated in trips to Tunisia and France during his studies. He hails from Tooele, Utah.
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