Samantha Kunin

Describe the steps you took to obtain your internship/research opportunity/fellowship.

I knew that I wanted to understand the intersection of the financial allocation of resources and humanitarian crises, and one of the ways I would be able to gain insight into that area would be to work in a Policy & Budgeting Office. When I learned about the Internship opportunity at the Florida Governor's Office, the experience seemed to fit exactly what I had been searching for.

How far in advance did you prepare and begin applying for your experiential learning opportunity?

I began applying in the Fall of my Junior year, and applying for the Truman Scholarship helped me to flesh out several questions that interviewers would begin asking me in the Spring.

If you used any Career Center services, resources, or events to obtain your internship/research opportunity/fellowship, what were they? How did they support your application process?

When I was a freshman, I went to the Career Center for resume editing and I have built upon those critiques as I have progressed in my academic and professional career.

Describe some of your responsibilities or duties during your experiential learning opportunity.

Since my background is primarily in development studies, I investigate the legislative authority of budgetary recommendations regarding requests for the Department of Economic Opportunity.

What are some takeaways from your part-time job? How will these help prepare you for the next step after graduation?

I will be continuing this internship in the Spring so that I'm able to watch legislative session begin but being able to witness a transition period between Governors in the heart of the Capitol has been incredible.

Did this experience help clarify your career path? If yes, how so?

I'm currently applying for an internship with the Congressional Budget Office, and I know that this experience is invaluable in providing credibility towards my own experience and capability of being an Intern with the CBO.