Evan Fitzgerald

Political Science & Communication

Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)

What was the most exciting thing about your role? 

The work that I did directly impacted the lives of kids in Illinois. I wrote press releases that brought attention to summer meal programs, and created a web layout that helped administrators better organize their staff for the semester. Even though I couldn't’t see it in action, the fact that I was making a difference made my job worthwhile.

What surprised you most about your internship? 

The people surprised me the most. Everyone was welcoming, and no one treated me like the typical intern. I was just another employee. They went to lunch with me, took me on field assignments, one of my supervisors even offered to take me home when the train was delayed.

How did you apply your Liberal Arts-skills to your internship position?

My internship was very writing intensive. My communication classes prepared me well for that aspect. I was also involved in a number of brainstorming sessions where I had to come up with some of my own ideas while respecting the others’. For this, I drew directly from my group project experiences in com 102.

How has your internship prepared you for your career? 

After my summer internship, I know where I need to improve to be the employee that I want to be. My supervisor gave me some great resume advice and some even better feedback on my writing samples and overall performance.