My name is Taylor Trimble and I’m a senior from Chicago, IL. I’m a Politics and Public Affairs major and an Educational Studies minor.
Currently I serve as an intern for the Urban Institute’s Office of Policy Impact. The Urban Institute is a think-tank based in Washington DC, but I work remotely.
As a policy intern for the Urban Institute, I track Urban’s impact (meetings, citations, testimonies, references, webinars, panels) and also contribute towards creating a future impact measurement plan. In addition, I conduct background research on policymakers, policy issues, and stakeholders to advance Urban’s mission. Lastly, I attend several briefings, government panel hearings, and panels to document Urban’s impact and take notes to forward to our Government Affairs team. Regarding significant contributions, there’s been many. Currently, the Office of Policy Impact is a new, internal office at Urban. I have helped them build the office through drafting necessary materials such as FAQs for our intranet. I am also currently working on a written impact case study on Urban and Protecting Immigrant Families relationship and how our research helped the public understand the current plight of immigrants and safety net programs during the Trump administration.
Working at the Urban Institute helped me in my career exploration a lot. It exposed to me different pathways for politics, other than just working on the Hill or doing campaign work. It also showed me that I’m a lot more interested in political research than I thought! Urban also exposed me to a number of professionals. I was able to learn about their career pathways and learn about the multitude of opportunities in government and politics.
To future interns, always ask for work! By asking members on your team if they need help on ongoing or future projects, regardless of your interest in the topic, it shows you have initiative and are hard working. All employers want someone like that. Also, network, especially if you are a remote intern. It is so easy to schedule a 30-minute virtual coffee chat, and it goes a long way especially if you imagine a future at that specific company. Lastly, stay in touch with your recruiter/supervisor. Originally, I applied for the position at Urban in the summer. I ended up getting an internship offer in a congressional office on Capitol Hill and decided to take it. Urban asked if they could float my resume around and I told them yes. In the summer, they reached out and said they might have an opening in the fall. I ended up working for Urban this fall, and they decided to extend my internship to this semester!
Lastly, the Knowlton Center is super, super helpful. Have them check everything, even if you think your materials are well-done. Almost every time I apply to an internship/job/scholarship, I have Knowlton look at my resume, cover letter, etc. Also, connect with recruiters or employees at the company you’re applying to via LinkedIn. It shows another level of demonstrated interest. Knowlton taught me that :).
