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WII Alumni: Where Are They Now?
A regular column in which we feature our talented alumni and share how they’re making a difference in the world.

A Former Intern Comes Full Circle

Beth (Popp) Hess currently wears not one but two WII hats: alumna and Agency Sponsor. In 1999, she interned in the press and information office at the Embassy of Cyprus. Today, she serves as director of communications and membership at the Center for Nonprofit Advancement, where she supervises current WII intern Nathan Smoyer. (Read more about Nathan on WII’s blog.)

How did Beth come full circle? After her internship, Beth wrapped up bachelors’ degrees in journalism and political science at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Then, she says, “An item from my internship portfolio actually came in handy during the interview for my first job.”

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WII alum Sara Skahill (seated) works in Baghdad. Photo courtesy of State magazine.	Embassy Scholars in Iraq's "Green Zone" By Eugene Schmiel, Director for Academic Programs The saying that professors aim to help students become leaders who will “make a difference” never was clearer for me than when I realized that four of our former “Embassy Scholars,” participants in our distinctive “Embassy and Diplomatic Scholars” program, are now playing active and substantive roles in and around Iraq. Read more...

Making a Difference in Morocco Bogart and Bergman in Casablanca. Saharan sand dunes. The Islamic call to prayer. Couscous. These are just a few of the sights, sounds, and tastes associated with Morocco, the current home to Washington Internship Institute alumnus Gavin Cepelak. “My internship played a direct role in my career path and is a major reason where I am today,” he says. Read more...

Barbara Cordano
“Days after I graduated from college I started WII courses and an internship at the International Republican Institute (IRI), a democracy promotion NGO. At the time I was preparing to take the Foreign Service exam. Little did I know that the WII program was exactly the preparation I needed.”
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Jake McCook “WII set me on a path I will follow forever. There were other programs, but something about this one stood out – its small staff interaction. They care about shaping the great minds of the 21st century on a person-to-person basis, and will do everything to assist you – from internship placement to job searches. Its diverse activities and resources will enable you to have the best experience possible.”
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Sarah Higdon
“’Be a sponge.’ These words were running through my head as I sat atop a very tall camel in a very warm desert looking at very old pyramids. Wait … let me back up a bit.” Read more...

Daniel Elliott
“The vast majority of people reach the end of their senior year in college and literally have no idea what they will be doing a year from that very moment. They have already switched majors twice, have secured one of three letters of recommendation needed for business school – just in case their mother’s nagging finally gets the best of them – and have a half-finished Peace Corps application collecting dust somewhere on their desk. I, however, am one of the lucky ones. Ever since I can remember I have known what I wanted to do with my life: to be involved in some way in international relations.” Read more...

Jocelyn Chia
“During my WII semester, I learned first-hand about international politics and business through WII classes and trips, as well as through my internship at the US-Taiwan Business Council. My internship not only helped me get to where I am now, it was probably what led me to where I am today.” Read more...

Glen Tieder
“During my three-and-a-half months at the Chilean Embassy in the spring of 2003, I had a front row seat for a variety of different world changing events. I was able to attend Congressional meetings of the foreign relations committee on the pending Iraq War as well as the expansion of the United Nations with the Baltic Nations. These experiences, along with many others, have enhanced my resume in a way that I never thought possible.” Read more...

Stephanie Jamison
“’During this internship, my ultimate goal is simply to learn more about politics.’ This was a line in my application essay to the Washington Internship Institute in 2003. I was a restless 22-year-old, eager to put my education to work in the political field and longing for a change.” Read more...

Karen Lee
“The Washington Internship Institute (WII) provided a forum where I reconnected with the international development community and began to build my career. I graduated from college with a plan of entering the military, trading one regiment for another, and offering me the indulgence of putting off complex decision-making. When this plan changed, I drifted. Suddenly, I had many decisions to make, and the weight of my future with which to contend.” Read more...

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Embassy Scholars in Iraq's "Green Zone"