Internship summaries: graduate

“I was surprised at how limited city governments are by state level policies, and by local conditions.”

“Seeing theory in action was the most valuable part of the internship.”

“I’ve long been interested in how developmental science can inform public systems—particularly how trauma, poverty, and system involvement shape youth and family trajectories. This opportunity gave me real-world insight into the operational and political challenges of delivering effective services to high-needs populations, and how evidence-based, community-anchored reforms might address those challenges.”

“What surprised me most was how much MGE invests in the community beyond energy programs, sponsoring events like Juneteenth and Africa Fest to support BIPOC communities.”

“I would strongly recommend working with a local government agency to any student interested in applied policy, program design, or public service delivery.”

“This internship enriched my grip of policy development, legislative procedures, and intergovernmental collaboration. I also enhanced my intercultural communication skills, effectively managing meetings with diverse stakeholders.”

“The most valuable part of this internship was being able to make an impact in the US-Mexico border region, as working within these communities is a passion of mine.”

“I was surprised by how much discretion agencies have in interpreting regulations and how much thought goes into designing implementation of even small pieces of policy.”

“One of the biggest lessons I learned is that working in the energy sector is far more complex than it appears. Policy, economics, engineering, and law all interact behind the scenes, often with competing stakeholder interests.”

“This opportunity allowed me to sharpen my skills in managing tasks and communication skills. It strengthened my desire to keep studying the connections between trade and policy.”