Washington work term changes student's life
Maria Camila Rodriguez Estrada, a Concordia co-operative education student majoring in international business, had already completed work terms at two well-known corporations in Montreal. Both experiences were extremely valuable, but she decided her final work term should take her farther. And it did … all the way to Washington, D.C.
Rodriguez Estrada took the bold step of participating in an internship through The Washington Center, a program available to all qualified Concordia students through Concordia International. “I thought there could be no better city than Washington, D.C., to see if I would like to pursue a career in politics or in a related field,” Rodriguez Estrada said. “Also, I had always wanted to do an international work term.”
Rodriguez Estrada worked as a junior analyst intern in an international strategic consulting firm, headed by a former U.S. senator. Among other duties, she compiled reports relating to government policies and initiatives, and analyzed and tracked current events in industries of interest to the company.
“The work I performed in Washington related perfectly to my academic training because it combined both my major in international business and my minor in political science,” she says. “The firm offers advice and strategic plans to its clients on business development, marketing, regulatory and governmental affairs, at both the national and international level. I was able to put many of the concepts that I studied in my business and political science courses into practice.”
As described on Concordia International’s web page, “… The Washington Center has been providing university students with an integrated academic and work experience to prepare them for professional lives of achievement, leadership, and civic engagement. Participants are placed in internships tailored to their professional interests and needs. They also participate in supplemental programming and networking events, designed to expose them to a variety of government, non-profit and business leaders.”
“Every student has to do a civic engagement project,” Rodriguez Estrada explains. “It gives us the chance to give back to the community. I chose immigration rights and I volunteer with Mil Mujeres, which is an organization that assists victims of violence to obtain visas. The Washington Center also invited speakers that advocate for immigrants’ rights to share their experiences with us.”
There is an extra academic component as well. Rodriguez Estrada made the most of the opportunity and says, “I chose a class that is completely out of my field and enroled in a course called Scandalous Washington. This course was not always given in a classroom; in fact, we often met in different parts of the city to visit historic places while the teacher provided great insight into the events that occurred at the very spot on which we stood.”
When asked how she felt about her experience, Rodriguez Estrada had this advice for her fellow students. “I strongly believe that every Concordia student should at least consider participating in this program. There is so much to gain. Students will have the opportunity to meet influential professionals with astonishing careers, build connections from all over the world, prepare themselves for the current competitive job market. It is an experience that will change them forever.”
Related links:
• Institute for Co-operative Education
• Concordia International
• The Washington Center
• Mil Mujeres