Figuring out where a major in sociology, government or world politics might lead a student for a summer or for a career may seem daunting but possibly less so after listening to five Hamilton students explain their recent career-related experiences.
During a panel on Oct. 19, seniors Caroline Reppert, Lily Frost, Branden Miles, Jacob Weissman and Kacy Hobbis offered overviews of their internships in government-related positions.
No pathway was similar; each student outlined how they moved from one internship to another, identifying strong career interests and eliminating others, dependent on their experiences. All five emphasized how each internship offered information that assisted them in envisioning future possibilities.
Caroline Reppert, a sociology major and government minor, held internships at the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, a law office, at the U.S. Supreme Court, and at the National Women’s Law Center. She remains committed to attending law school but is unsure as to whether she might want to practice law or focus on policy issues. “Through my internships, I realize that with a law degree I will have lots and lots of options,” she said.
Branden Miles, a world politics major, held internships at Boston public radio station WGBH, in U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren’s Office, Citizens Schools, and the Institute for Policy Studies.
As other panelists emphasized, Miles felt he was well-positioned to interview for each internship as a result of counseling from the Career Center on resume writing, cover letter writing and interviewing skills. He was studying abroad in South Africa when he interviewed via Skype for the position with the Institute for Policy Studies, which added a new twist to the interviewing process. He explained how all of his previous experiences, even his WHCL radio program, helped his candidacy.
Assigned to the Criminalization of Poverty Project at the institute, Miles gained awareness and interest in issues about which he had had little awareness previously.
