Summer Plans

In yesterday's post, I mentioned as a bit of an afterthought that I've recently been applying to summer internships and research programs. Truthfully, I'd just been trying to avoid thinking about that whole mess. Although I had a long list of potential summer jobs, there was really one that stood out to me: the AIP Mather Public Policy Internship.

Two Mather Interns are selected nationally every year, and they are funded by Dr. John Mather's Nobel Prize to live in Washington D.C. for eight weeks and work on Capitol Hill in a congressional office. Past interns have "attended and helped prepare for hearings and markups, written letters to constituents, gathered background materials related to votes, and provided general support to the offices" (per the internship description). Additionally, they have met with congressmen, Nobel laureates, and all kinds of experts (one of last year's interns actually got hear astronaut Scott Kelly testify about the effects space travel has had on his health).

The Mather Internship is run through SPS, and requires that applicants have high grades, a major in physics, demonstrated communication skills, interest in public policy, and a history of involvement in SPS. In many ways, it seemed like an excellent fit for me, but Professor Hoffmeister (who put me up for the internship) warned me not to get my hopes up. "I don't see how they could not give it to you," he said, "but I've sent plenty of people I've thought that about in the past and they've all been turned down. It's the sort of thing that goes to graduating seniors headed straight to law school." Nevertheless, as I put together my application I became more and more excited about the hypothetical opportunity and spent many a day bemoaning the fact that it would never be mine.

Well, I cleared the first hurdle as SPS granted me a Skype interview on Thursday morning! I was of course totally nervous, but I did prepare as best I could. I haven't had too many interviews in the past, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but it did seem to me that it went well-- the panel responded very favorably to my answers (and my questions), and promised to contact me early next week. Oh boy.

Imagine my surprise when I got a phone call yesterday afternoon, and even more so when it was SPS letting me know that I had been selected!!! They said that they had originally been very impressed by my written application, but were completely floored at the interview and decided they had to have me as soon as they hung up. I know they have to say that to everyone who is accepted, but it made me feel happy :)

So.... I'm headed to Capitol Hill this summer! While I've officially been selected as a Mather Intern, the next step is to determine my placement. This means that my application/resume, along with those of the other interns from various programs, will be circulated through the congressional offices and I will likely have another interview or two with the offices themselves. In the meantime, I am working the thrift stores overtime to build up my professional wardrobe!

The most amazing thing about the day? Just a few hours before I received my call, Matthew was able to finalize his plans as well for his first choice job this summer: research at Duke University! He's been hired by one of the ultrasound labs, and I know it will be an absolutely incredible experience for him as well. Plus we'll be on the same continent this year, only a few hours away from each other!

P.S. If anyone's interested in more details about my internship, you can take a peek at last year's blog here and here.