Kate Lentsch

Majors: Natural Resources and Environmental Science, Political Science

Energy Policy Intern at American Public Gas Association

How did you learn about this internship opportunity?

Through the Boilers Go To D.C. and Center for C-SPAN Scholarship and Engagement (CCSE) alumni network.

What is a piece of advice you would give someone in your major looking for an internship?

Have patience, everyone is on their unique timeline for internship applications. And bring your all to every interview, you never know what could work out!

What key responsibilities or projects have you taken on during your internship?

Increasing efficiency through creating policy trackers, case briefings, and information consolidation. I also attended meetings/events surrounding Capitol Hill and returned notes to my supervisors recounting my experience

How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals? How did being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue apply to your internship?

My internship was originally outside of the realm I was looking for a position, but once I came across it, I was instantly intrigued. The work I was completely was both exactly what I expected (in a good way) as well as challenging in an exciting way. Now I can confidently say I have a wider perspective on the energy and environmental sectors, and am aware of many more career paths I can explore. Being a part of the Liberal Arts community at Purdue helped prepare me in all of the subtle ways that mattered for day-to-day interactions and ultimately, opened the door entirely with the programs available. I participated in the Boilers Go To D.C. Summer Scholar program, which I learned about during one of my early classes in Liberal Arts, and earned credit for coursework that was added to my Political Science degree. It helped make this summer extremely worthwhile!

In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in our Job-Ready program specifically aided your professional development?

As a junior, I have taken a significant portion of my major classes within the College of Liberal Arts, and I am happy to report; they do transfer quite well to the outside world! My coursework in public policy, environmental economics, comparative politics, and so on, all contained relevant information I was able to apply to my knowledge base, but they also helped me understand more about myself and how I learn. This ended up being extremely important as the transition from coursework assignments to professional projects and tasks can be quite bumpy. I was able to have an easier transfer due to the variation of the CLA classes and styles. The Job-Ready program also prepared me well if helping understand what I would be walking into day one. Especially for anyone participating in their first internship, the resources they offer can be a great way to understand what professional development is and what it all can mean. The Job-Ready program helps ease the stress of such a major transition, and their financial support means that you can go for positions that otherwise may not be available or profitable.

Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in the Job-Ready program that you find particularly noteworthy?

The Job-Ready program not only made this summer a possibility for me, as relocating can be quite the obstacle, it helped me feel prepared on a professional level as well. They offered resources to pair with the experiences I was having in D.C. that I could refer to, but their support also allowed me access to an entirely new realm of possible career paths after graduation. By the end of the summer, I was lucky enough to "go back to the drawing board" in regard to what I want to do, and I couldn't be more excited.