Winnie Nham: Political Science, May 2009

"Working at the State Department has exponentially increased my awareness of the role the United States plays in affecting the lives of so many ordinary individuals throughout the world. My internship has also helped me focus my personal career goals and has provided me with the opportunity to meet important members of the State Department, the NGO community, and other talented college students across the nation."

Placement: United States Department of States, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor East Asia section at the Asia & Western Hemisphere Office

Description of Duties: Write and respond to constituent letters written to the President/Secretary of State on human rights abuses in East Asia. Meet with NGOs who receive grant money from the U.S. Government to work on humanitarian aid. Comment on asylum applications for the immigration courts. Brief checklists for undersecretary/assistant secretary meetings with various ambassadors and diplomats.

Future Career Plans: Next fall I will be studying abroad for a semester in Beijing, China. After I graduate from UMBC, I plan to pursue a Master's degree in International Relations and take the Foreign Service Officer Test to hopefully become a Foreign Service Officer and represent the United States overseas.