Georgetown Student Interview with Rushil Vashee | Part 3: | Internships and Final Thoughts
We interviewed Rushil Vashee '25, a sophomore at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service studying International Political Economy with minors in Journalism and Spanish. With a keen interest in the intersection of people and politics, especially as it relates to U.S. constitutional law, economic statistics, and data analysis, Rushil has worked with these issues at the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center, on a competitive U.S. Senate campaign, at USA TODAY's Sports Media Group, and through a published research paper.
Key points from the interview:
To those about to start their first days of college, trade school or a profession: be a sponge! Learn from everyone willing to teach but know when you need personal time to fully soak it up, too.
To anyone in the college application process: make sure your “best foot forward” is also your most authentic. Let your creativity, niche interests, and even humor shine through. Don’t let one too many revisions or edits take the authenticity out of your application.
Q: Can you describe the application process for your internship at Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center? Did you have to submit anything like supplementals, essays, resumes?
A: I had the opportunity to intern at Howard University’s Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center through a program offered by our career center called the Georgetown University Virtual Immersions and Experiential Work (VIEW) Program. The application was a straightforward process that included building a tailored resume and writing a brief cover letter. The career center’s peer advisors were extremely helpful in helping me with both of those, and I went through a few drafts of my resume before submitting it.
Q: What are some things that you have taken away from your time as an intern? Has this internship affected your study and career path? How was the experience with this internship?
A: I absolutely loved my time at Howard. From the amazing mentors to the incredibly relevant work we do, I can’t think of a better place to work for the expansion of civil rights at one of the most important times to do so in recent history. By interning at the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center, I am learning countless soft skills related to expert interviews, remote interning, and adaptability. I am also taking away lots of industry-specific knowledge related to web design and feature story writing, both of which are crucial in helping me towards my goal of pursuing a career dedicated to public service.
Q: What type of internships and opportunities should scholars interested in a similar career path pursue?
A: Most colleges use the Handshake platform, which is great for finding internship opportunities that align with a student’s experiences and intended career path. It’s also a great idea to schedule a meeting with the career center in a student’s first or second semester, because they usually have a ton of resources for career exploration that are tailored to first-year students!
Q: Do you have anything else you would like to add? Any final words of wisdom?
A: To high school students: explore! Don’t feel pressured to tailor all of your classes and clubs to a predetermined college major and even career. Instead, take courses that seem interesting and join organizations that are fulfilling, and the field of study you are passionate about will easily shine through when it’s time to do some reflecting and declare a major or find a job.
To anyone in the college application process: make sure your “best foot forward” is also your most authentic. Let your creativity, niche interests, and even humor shine through. Don’t let one too many revisions or edits take the authenticity out of your application.
To those about to start their first days of college, trade school or a profession: be a sponge! Learn from everyone willing to teach but know when you need personal time to fully soak it up, too.
Q: In one word, what is the most important thing in college applications in one word?
A: Authenticity
Thanks for reading!
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