Internship Location: Washington DC
Organization Type: Federal Government
Policy Areas: Transportation policy
During my summer internship experience I worked with the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG) located in our nation’s capital of Washington, D.C. The DOT OIG serves as the main auditing agency for the DOT, working to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and prevent fraud in DOT programs and operations. I was placed within the office of aviation audits, which primarily works with the FAA within the DOT. I assisted my team on an audit being conducted by analyzing policy, procedure, and internal FAA documentation to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the way a program was being managed and handled. Additionally, we conducted several site visits and interviewed officials to gather user feedback on the program and its efficacy. Through this internship and the work I was engaging with, I have been able to develop my analytical skills gained through my coursework and hone my ability to communicate lengthy complex ideas into concise summaries. The ability to understand and communicate policy effectively will be of critical importance to my career moving forward, so I was incredibly lucky to have been able to develop these skills over this summer. A key lesson I learned that was valuable to my development was the absolute importance of interpersonal communication skills, which I know I can continue to develop during my last year at the La Follette School. I know I can take the skills I built working on an auditing team and continue that growth in the client-based project for our capstone and other group projects. This summer has been an extremely positive experience that coupled with my academic learning will allow me to succeed in my future endeavors. I would highly encourage anyone to think about interning with an auditing agency, especially if they’re interested in reviewing the processes and documentation that guide government programs.