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HONORS SELF- DESIGNED PROPOSAL

Basic Information
Full Name: Tess Gerdemann
Title of Project: State Department Internship
Thematic Area(s): travel, service, professional development
Expected Start Date: Spring 2016
Expected End Date: Summer 2016

1. Abstract
Briefly describe the experience. What makes this experience personally meaningful? What goals do you have
for this experience? What is your timeline for this experience?
This experience is a State Department internship program where I would live in D.C. for a semester. Ive been
interested in the state department for a long time. My freshman year of high school I participated in my first of
three state department funded exchange programs. They brought over 32 Iraqi teenagers and we spent the
summer developing mutual understanding. Years later the State department paid for me to travel and live in
Paraguay. Needless to say, the U.S. State Department changed my life. Im currently and international affairs
major interested in pursuing a career in international politics at some point in my life. An internship with the
state department would provide valuable professional experience and let me see if thats a career path I want.
Goals would consist of networking, finding more opportunities in D.C., reconnecting with my U.S. Senate
connections and exploring the idea of working in the Paraguayan Embassy to the U.S. Another reason I have
an interest in living in D.C. is that my junior year of high school I was a U.S. Senate page and I lived in D.C.
and worked for the U.S. Senate in the chamber. I love the atmosphere of D.C. and want another chance to live
in it. This experience would happen for one semester of school in the spring of 2016.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:
Brief description of the experience
Personal connection to the
experience
Identified goals for the experience
Timeline from start to finish

Required Revisions:

Effective:

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*Itinerary (international
experiences only)
**Explanation of differentiated
experience from what is required of
other students
2. Experience Advisor
Ivanov, Ivan Dinev
Assistant Professor Educator, Director of Undergraduate Studies
1121 Crosley Tower
513-556-3318
ivan.ivanov@uc.edu
I chose Professor Ivanov because he is extremely experienced in the fields of international affairs and politics
which is a good mixture for domestically working for the state department. In addition he will be teaching a
small honors study tour class that I am in so I will be working very closely with him this following semester.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

Experience advisor name and

contact information
Description of why advisor was
selected
Specific plans to engage with
advisor
3. Connection to Learning Outcomes
Global Studies:
I will be working for an international force in the globalized world. My work will deal with current events and
foreign policy every day. Ive spoken with my connections in the State Department from when I was a youth
ambassador for them and my experience with living in Paraguay makes me valuable to the South American
sector of work. My host father in Paraguay was a high ranking Senator and hopefully I would have the
opportunity to work with the Paraguayan embassy.
I will be a full-time employee at the State Department.
-working with participants of exchange programs to avoid extreme culture shock and establish lasting building
blocks for significant social change in the world
Leadership:

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In this program I will be learning the skills of leadership in the State Department while applying the ideas of
leadership I gained while working in the U.S. Senate. I hope to find mentors in the department who can help
guide me through my process into international politics and involvement. I will continue developing my
professional leadership skills so one day I can be a policy leader in my field.
-Facilitating the state department in educating exchange participants
-Evaluating the success of specific exchange programs
Community Engagement and research:
Ultimately my goal is to start a social entrepreneurship selling indigenous made goods in Paraguay and other
countries with similar economies in the western world. The goods would be purchased at above market prices
giving the indigenous a sustainable, stead, and dependable income. Working in the state department would
allow me to gather (research) information involved in starting this venture. Hopefully gaining access to the
Paraguayan embassy.
-Engage the community by letting people know about the opportunities presented by the state department for
travel and personal expansion.
All these activities will be on an ongoing basis of full time employment every weekday and some weekends, 85 at minimum.
Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

3 learning outcomes explicitly

identified from any thematic area(s)
Examples of activities and
explanation of how each will assist
the progress towards the chosen
learning outcome
Estimated time commitment for
each activity
4. Academic Resources Connected to the Learning Outcomes
Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the US Foreign Service Harry W. Kopp and Charles A. Gillespie
This book is a comprehensive guide to working in the state department. This book covers preparation for
working in the state department, where in the state department you might want to be placed, how to be
successful and current policy issues. Reading this book has so far helped me solidify my goal for where in the
organization I would want to work towards. Having this goal while working as an intern would allow me to
work with purpose and accomplish more from the experience.
Realities of Foreign Service Life: Compilations from over 600 Foreign Service workers
These essays give a balanced view of the ups and downs of living and serving as a United States diplomat. This
text is recommended reading for state department hopefuls. Reading this will give me a better inside view of the
inner workings of the department and how my involvement can better serve the interests of the United States
domestically and abroad.
Advisor Feedback

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Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

1-2 academic resources connected

to the learning outcomes
Title and author of each resource
Description of how resources will
help make progress towards
learning outcomes and execution of
experience
5. On-going Reflection
Note: A variety of methods can be used for on-going reflection. Some examples are videos, drawings, blogs,
songs, and journals. Reflection topics to consider include your ideas/insights about the experience, connection
to other areas of involvement, and your progress towards the learning outcomes.
During the U.S. Senate page program I used journaling to help focus my thoughts and actively take from my
daily experiences. For this internship I would continue journaling. Main questions would be highlight of
today? What did you do to further yourself professionally today? Goals? Something you can improve
on?

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

Method for ongoing reflection

Reflection questions/topics clearly
specified
6. Sharing Your Learning
After this program, I would like to take part in the different information forums and fairs that the University of
Cincinnati provides. In doing so I would help educate the next group of interns for this program and help
connect our two institutions further. The international affairs major could definitely be bettered by a closer
partnership with the U.S. state department. I will also write bog posts for some of the youth diplomat programs
I participated in about this opportunity for college students.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:
At least one method to actively
share take-away/learning from the

Required Revisions:

Effective:

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experience
A specific audience and why the
audience was selected

7. Budget (if applicable)

The internship is paid.

Advisor Feedback
Notes:
Detailed budget of expenditures
with sources to justify budget
estimates
*Indicates the number of hours per
week and number of weeks of
participation

Required Revisions:

Effective: