NOTES FROM THE FIELD: JIMMY NGUYEN '21

Jimmy Nguyen '21 interned in the National Economic Council during the 2018 fall term. The following is an excerpt from his internship report.

For 13 incredible weeks this Fall, I had the honor of interning in the National Economic Council through the White House Internship Program. The National Economic Council has four objectives: move policy forward by coordinating the creation of economic policy, offer economic policy advice to the President, oversee the employment of said policy, and maintain consistency in action with the President’s goals. Interning for the National Economic Council has allowed me the privilege to see these goals advance firsthand during a flourishing economy.

I interned for senior Administration officials working on infrastructure, energy, and environmental policy. Some of my work comprised of administrative tasks, including reserving rooms, setting up appointments, and managing emails. This gave me the chance to exhibit a strong work ethic on the smallest tasks, which eventually led to more challenging assignments. My assignments quickly evolved to include composing legislative summaries, researching environmental bill proposals, and tracking media coverage on policy. All this work goes toward the first steps taken to make significant economic changes in the United States. Additionally, community service is heavily promoted within the White House Internship Program. In late October, I directed more than 4,000 guests at the “Halloween at the White House” event. I will always remember the families waiting in excitement to not only receive candy, but also to shake the President’s hand.

After learning about consulting firms that do government contracting and seeing how the government interacts with the private sector, I think this field of work is something I could potentially enjoy. Coupled with the classes in economic and environmental studies I will take when I return to campus, I have found lines of work where I can succeed. With the completion of this internship, I expect myself to bring the knowledge, skills, and character I have fostered this term to my future internships, jobs, and everyday life. I would like to thank the Rockefeller Center for this opportunity, which has left me more confident in communicating with anybody, regardless of their political positions, as I have learned that with effort, people can productively collaborate to achieve positive results.

The Rockefeller Internships Program has funding for Dartmouth undergraduate students to help defray the cost of living expenses associated with a full-time, unpaid, leave-term internships in the fields of public policy, public affairs, and social entrepreneurship.