This summer in Washington, DC has been a remarkable journey filled with countless memorable experiences and learning opportunities. If it wasn’t for the Center for Innovation, Business, and Entrepreneurship (CIBE) at Wabash College, the Dill Small Business Fund, and Jeff Perkins’89, it would have been impossible for a second-year student to intern in the capital of the United States.
Each firm has its unique culture, with the people at its core, and I have been fortunate to experience the dynamic and vibrant energy of the SC team in the DC office. I am so grateful to Jeff Perkins’89 and the entire team for their unwavering support and for creating such a meaningful and enriching environment for the interns. Over the course of three months, I have gained invaluable insights into the executive search industry, non-profit organizations, business development, and organizational structures. I was able to conduct research about the job market and prepare the information needed for client calls. Moreover, we also actively created Excel sheets to include new job openings for a variety of industries such as Pharmaceuticals, Non-profits, and Public Media, to name but a few. Interns could apply their skillsets to create presentations and recruitment profiles for clients. The office is very close to Union Station, so we always had many choices for the lunch break. As an intern, I felt so lucky to be able to grab lunch and listen to old-but-gold stories from seasoned professionals.
Apart from office hours, we received tremendous support from the Wabash alumni in the DMV area. I was invited to happy hours and had dinner with several Wabash alumni. It dawned on me that DC has amazing restaurants and places to hang out with friends. The Navy Yard, Georgetown, National Mall, Capitol Hill, Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, and Chinatown are great places to visit. The city made it so easy to travel with public transportation such as Capital Bikeshare or the Metro. I took advantage of Amtrak to have a fabulous three-day trip to New York with my friend. In DC, you can see people from all walks of life, especially suit-and-tie officials and governors, and you can easily eavesdrop on interesting chats about politics in a random cafe shop.
I highly recommend Wabash students explore opportunities in the DC area to experience its unique vibrancy and professional prospects. Such a cool place and a once-in-a-lifetime summertime!
