The Aspen Institute

Intern

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

Really great organization doing incredibly meaningful work. You are surrounded by really smart people that care about a variety of policy interests. The organization is also mid-size so it's incredibly large with the number of initiatives and policy groups, but within your own group it is pretty small and tight-knit. Everyone is welcoming and willing to share their work with you if you take the initiative.

What I wish was different

I was the only intern on my policy team and a lot of my team members would work remotely every now and then, so sometimes I would be the only one on our team in the office. I would have preferred to be surrounded by team members in the office. There were other interns at the organization, just on different teams, so we would be able to meet up every now and then during intern events.

Advice

Be a self-starter. Take the initiative to ask to do some tasks even if they aren't assigned to you.

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Community Programs Intern

May - August 2019 • Aspen, CO

What I liked

The work atmosphere was challenging and fast-paced, but the staff were so kind and fun. Working hard was something everyone was willing to do.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been more communication about expectations for interns, behavior, and certain projects. I also did not fully understand the mission of the Institute until the last two weeks, which would have been very helpful earlier.

Advice

Be willing to ask questions!!

1 One person found this helpful

Intern/Fellow

June - July 2019 • Newark, NJ

What I liked

It was great to work as a fellow with other young leaders who were just as passionate as me. I think the Aspen Institute is very accommodating to their fellows and genuinely care. It was a great learning experience overall.