Gioia’s spring break

Our next first-year student spring break update comes from Gioia, who combined working at her Boston-area internship with Boston-area tourism, as well as a short visit to DC:

While many of my classmates traveled to far-flung places, met with potential employers, or just went on well-deserved vacations, I stayed in Boston over spring break to continue my internship with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). I know that it may not seem like the most exciting spring break, but I was happy to have a more relaxed week to catch up with friends and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather in Boston. Some of my favorite things to do in Boston are to walk along the harbor in the vibrant Fort Point neighborhood, peruse the vintage and used books at the Brattle Book Shop (near Downtown Crossing), and walk across Boston Common and the Public Garden to Tatte Bakery, which makes the most incredible pastries. I’m sad that I won’t be in Boston this summer to enjoy the glorious weather, but I’m very excited to be spending the summer interning with the Public Diplomacy Section at the U.S. Embassy in London. It’s truly a dream come true for me and I hope to use the experience to inform my Capstone next year.

Just after spring break, I managed to fit in a quick trip to Washington, D.C., to attend a hiring event with a federal agency and visit the GAO headquarters. D.C. is just over an hour away by plane, so it’s easy to plan an overnight or even a day trip. I was lucky enough to be there just days before the famous cherry blossoms hit peak bloom, which led to some beautiful photo opportunities!

In true Fletcher fashion, I ran into two other current students at the hiring event. It’s always nice to have a friendly face in those sorts of situations to set me at ease. Fletcher students and faculty always say that a big part of what makes Fletcher so special is the people; I can confirm that it’s true! Even if you don’t know someone by name, our campus is tight-knit enough to recognize everyone as a Fletcher student and have that instant connection. We’re so fortunate at Fletcher to have a true small campus feel in Medford while being in a cosmopolitan city like Boston, complete with dozens of major employers in the tech, finance, defense, and government industries.

With just under a month left of classes in my first year at Fletcher, it’s incredible to see how quickly it’s flying by. I’m already deep in the midst of planning for my summer internship, but I have to remind myself sometimes to take a minute to pause and appreciate the sheer wealth and breadth of incredible opportunities that are at my doorstep at Fletcher. On an average week, events on my calendar touch on everything from U.S.-Russia relations to African oral traditions to the role of Gulf lobbying in Washington. Career-related events are similarly abundant, from visiting national security experts to energy consultancy companies and migration-focused internships in North Africa (and yes, all of these events are happening just this week!). I am so grateful to be part of such an incredible and dynamic community and I can’t wait to see what the rest of this year has in store!

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