Internship Location: Washington DC
Organization Type: Federal Government
Policy Areas: Trade Policy
In the summer of 2023, I interned with the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) in Washington, D.C. EXIM is the official export credit agency (ECA) of the United States and provides assistance to American companies exporting goods abroad. My most impactful project was to assist with stakeholder engagement for the 2023 EXIM Annual Conference, which is being held in Washington, DC, in October. As part of my responsibilities, I was responsible for reaching out to federal partners, state and local government officials, and business leaders to invite them to participate in the Annual Conference. This internship advanced my skills in public affairs by enhancing my knowledge of intergovernmental relations and stakeholder outreach. During my previous internship in the Wisconsin State legislature, I was exposed to the stakeholder outreach process in some way, but to a lesser extent than I was exposed to in my role at EXIM. Learning how to network and how to incorporate constructive feedback into all of the work I do are two key lessons that I am looking forward to building on in the future. As a result of applying my network-building skills, I have been offered an internship in another EXIM office, where I will continue to apply my La Follette training.