Hello! I’m Thomas. I’m a sophomore in the Elliott School of International Affairs majoring in IA with a minor in Arabic and a concentration in international development. I love leaning and trying many different things, so much that deciding what to do can be very difficult. I love Liz and Catherine because they are genuine and make my life work. The Honors program is also the best part of GW, and I enjoy asking the big questions and learning more about myself. I like investing in people personally, and if you need anything at all please don’t be a stranger.
Thomas’s SPAcialties: Culture shock: transferring from a small private school in the South to a big city; academic stress; organization; program advice; language/major advice; personal well-being; pretty much anything you need I’ll do my best!
If you’d like to get in touch with Thomas, email uhpspa@gwu.edu!
Tag: AY1314
A Class at the Smithsonian [Second Look]
Did you know there’s an Honors course that actually meets at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art It’s true! There are still seats left for this only-at-GW course. (The course only sometimes meets at the museum, other times it’s here on campus)
Africans in America
Professor Nemata Blyden
HONR 2175:10 – 3 Credits
CRN: 56789
T 3:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Equivalent: HONR: Arts and Humanities 2054
People of African descent have lived in the United States since the 17th century. Largely involuntary migrants, their experiences were shaped by the experience of bondage and involuntary servitude, repressive and discriminatory legislation, and oppression. This course will focus on more recent African arrivals to the United States, exploring the history of Africans who voluntarily migrated to the country – African immigrants. The course will examine Africans who came to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century as students, visitors, missionaries, and temporary residents. It will also examine the experience of those Africans who arrived in the United States, following the liberalization of immigration laws in the 1960’s. Themes to be explored include reasons for African migration, settlement patterns, adjustment issues, and relationships with Americans, black and white. As much as possible we will assess the experience of these migrants from their own perspectives as immigrants in a new land.
Free Foodtruck Food at MVC Bazaar
Don’t miss this event! The Bazaar on the Mt. Vernon Campus is Sunday, September 1st from 2pm-5pm.
Henna, caricature artists, Zumba, Zipcar, a capella groups, bhangra and food trucks will be there! What’s more: GW students get $7 in tickets to use for food at the food trucks, which include CapMac and Captain Cookie!
Job and Internship Opportunity – Bates White Economic Consulting
Bates White Economic Consulting is recruiting!
Bates White LLC is an economic consulting firm located by McPherson square. While Bates White is an economic consulting firm it strives to recruit all majors to work in their diverse practice areas (examples include: Healthcare, Energy and Antitrust). If you think you might be interested in a problem-solving-based quantitative job upon graduation, or just want to learn what economic consulting is all about, please come check them out!
Case Interview Workshop:
Wed Sept 18 from 5-6:30pm in Duques 553
(There will be an opportunity to chat with 2 recent GW UHP graduates who now work for Bates White)
Application:
Deadline: Sun Sept 22
The application and job description can be found at www.bateswhite.com.
While they are currently recruiting seniors who plan to fill full time positions next summer/fall they also have one of the top ranked consulting internship programs in the country, according to www.vault.com, and sophomores or juniors should attend the case workshop if they have interest in possibly working with Bates White in the future, or just want some early case interview experience!
Job Details:
Make an Appointment Online
If you need to speak with Catherine for some Honors advising to set your schedule, say adios before going abroad, or just in general calm your nerves, make an appointment online!
Without an appointment, you won’t be able to see Catherine. There’s only one Catherine, but the UHP has two offices (on two campuses) – so it’s super important to schedule your appointments.
The good news is it’s really easy to make an appointment right now! Just click on the owl, Franny Dee! (That’s BIG Franny Dee, btw. Not the award granting Lil’ Franny Dee.)
Catherine will be in Foggy Bottom on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. She’ll be on the Mt. Vernon Campus on Tuesdays and Wednesdays!
Get Covered America Fall Fellowship
Want to put some purpose in your semester? Get Covered America is looking for college students to apply for their fall fellows program!
I, UHPer Jess Burnell, first heard about this fellowship from the UHP blog last May, and have been working as a fellow this summer for this amazing organization in their policy department (and will continue working there into the fall!). They have fellowships available in all areas of their organization: data/analytics, field, constituent outreach, digital, policy, you name it. I’ve learned so much about what it takes to implement a campaign like this, made connections with some incredible people, and have had a great time doing it. I strongly urge my fellow (no pun intended) UHPers to apply for this awesome opportunity!
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Our Mission….
Get Covered America is a project of Enroll America, and is non-partisan, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to maximizing the number of uninsured Americans who enroll in health coverage made available by the Affordable Care Act. Get Covered America will work at the national, state, and local levels to make this happen.
The Fellowship…
Fall Fellows for Get Covered America will work closely with staff in the national and state] offices and will be an integral part of our success as an organization. The core of our work will take place in several target cities organizing communities and going door to door to get uninsured Americans up to speed on the opportunities made possible by the Affordable Care Act.
Fellow responsibilities will vary, but may include: canvassing neighborhoods, recruiting and training local volunteers, writing and editing materials for partner group or volunteer distribution, supporting state staff, compiling coverage of GCA, and general administrative tasks.
This is an unpaid position. The ideal candidate will be eager to learn, self-motivated, flexible, and dedicated to the mission of the organization.
To Apply…
Please go to www.getcoveredamerica.org/fall-fellows and click on the link to apply. Someone from our team will be in touch shortly.
Internship Opportunity: United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
About Us
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan, U.S. federal government commission – the first of its kind in the world – that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad. USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations and makes policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and Congressional leadership of both political parties.
General Information on USCIRF Internships
· Currently enrolled undergraduates or graduate students (including JD and LLM students) are eligible for internships.
· All USCIRF internships are unpaid; however, a small stipend and/or course credit may be available.
· Internships can be full-time (40 hours a week) or part-time (20-30 hours a week) for a minimum of 8 weeks.
General Eligibility Requirements (applicable to all USCIRF internships)
· U.S. citizenship (or otherwise authorized to intern with the U.S. government)
· Currently enrolled undergraduate (juniors and seniors) or graduate student (including JD and LLM candidates)
· Minimum 2.5 GPA
· Successful completion of a background check
Internship Responsibilities
· Research a variety of international religious freedom and human rights issues, with a focus on Europe and Central Asia;
· Assist with preparations for meetings, roundtables, Commission travel, and other events;
· Attend meetings at USCIRF with international visitors and other groups interested in USCIRF’s work;
· Attend and report on public hearings and other events in the DC area on issues relevant to USCIRF’s work;
· Provide general administrative support as needed.
Eligible candidates should have:
· a minimum 2.5 GPA;
· demonstrable knowledge, including academic background, of a particular world region;
· completed coursework (or have experience) in public policy, international affairs, political science, human rights, religious affairs, government affairs, or a related field;
· a willingness to perform administrative tasks;
· familiarity with the full Microsoft Office suite.
Fluency in Russian is preferred.
Application Requirements
1. Cover letter explaining your qualifications and why you would you like to intern at USCIRF
2. Resume
3. Writing sample (3-5 pages)
4. Letters of reference (at least 2)
How to Apply
E-mail, fax, or mail your application materials to:
USCIRF Internship Program
732 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite A714
Washington, DC 20401
202-523-3240 (phone)
202-523-5020 (fax)
internship@uscirf.gov
Please specify the internship and semester you are applying for in your cover letter and the subject line of an e-mailed application.
#HonorsProblems: Surviving Your First Few Weeks of College
Welcome to #HonorsProblems, a new monthly column written by your Student Peer Advisors tackling some of the most common issues we all face as college students and especially as University Honors Program members. Our inaugural post is written by UHPer and SPA Communications Chair Jess Burnell, a senior in the Columbian College majoring in economics.
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Welcome, Class of 2017! You’re here. You’ve made it. You are, officially, college students. But I know that even though you’ve unpacked all your stuff in your dorm room and figured out where your classes are (I hope), you’re probably still feeling incredibly overwhelmed. College is an experience unlike anything you’ve ever faced before, and if you’re having anxiety over the idea of making new friends, doing well in class, and generally worrying about how to make the most out of your time at GW, you’re not alone. Trust me, we’ve all been there. With that in mind, this #HonorsProblems post aims to give you a few tips to help you get your sea legs under you:
Tip #1: DON’T PANIC.
Transitioning to college is hard. Making new friends is hard. Sometimes (but not always) getting through a class will be hard. Learning how to live away from your family if you’ve never had to before (or learning to live with a roommate if you’ve never had to before) can be very, very hard. And as difficult as it might be to not worry about these things, try as much as possible not to panic. Know that it will take time to adjust to living in this new place and interacting with new people. Don’t panic when it feels like everyone else is making friends right off the bat the first week and you haven’t really connected with anyone yet. Don’t panic if you fail the first quiz. Don’t panic if you have no idea what you want to major in. Things will fall into place if you give them a little time. And most importantly, learn to trust yourself. You can handle anything college can throw at you.
Tip #2: Get out of your room.
All of that being said, nothing will fall into place if you spend all of your time outside of class alone in your dorm! Putting yourself out there and actively seeking new friends and new experiences is the key to establishing great relationships with people and having a great time during your four years at GW. Student orgs are the best way to meet people who share your interests. Get involved in Greek life, a club sport, an acapella group, or whatever floats your boat! Stay tuned to the UHP blog for upcoming posts where SPA highlight the orgs they’re involved with outside of the UHP if you’re searching for inspiration. In addition, don’t forget that the UHP hosts some pretty fun community building events of its own throughout the year where you can meet and bond with your fellow UHPers!
Tip #3: Take advantage of the UHP resources available to you.
You have an awesome network of people at your disposal already built in to your GW experience: the staff and students of the UHP! Make an appointment with Catherine when you need advice on declaring a major, working out a four-year plan, fulfilling Honors requirements, or anything having to do with academics. Your SPA are always here for you as well; all of our bios will be posted here on the blog, and you can meet us in person at the Honors Advising Workshop in Ames Hall on the Vern this Friday from 2-4pm. Friend us on Facebook or email uhpspa@gwu.edu to talk to or ask questions of any of us about anything at all (my personal favorite topics of discussion include cats and the BBC show Sherlock, for example).
We’ve all got your back. So are you ready? Let’s do this.
Honors Contracts Due Soon
If you’re taking a contract course, make sure to complete your Honors Contract!
How do you know if you need to complete an Honors Contract?
Fill one out if you plan on:
- Internship for Honors credit,
- Undergraduate Research,
- Research Assistantship,
- Senior Thesis (Other than Special Honors in your degree — that’s a different form found here)
Get the RTF-EZ here and the Contract Form here. Don’t forget your proposal!
You’ve got until COB Friday, September 13th, 2013.
Confused? Make an appointment.
Shakespeare, Digital Access and Libraries [Recommended Event]
We are very pleased to announce the launch of a new Digital Humanities Institute, co-founded and co-directed by Professors Alexander Huang and Jonathan Hsy. The inaugural Digital Humanities Institute lecture and 2013 Dean’s Scholars in Shakespeare Lecture will be delivered by Michael Witmore, director of the Folger Shakespeare Library, whose work on data-mining and literary analysis will provide an entry point into a discussion of some of the possibilities — and potential limitations — of large scale digitization projects. You are cordially invited to the talk and reception.
The talk will explore the ways in which large scale digitization projects have created new access problems while solving old ones; it will also show some underlying similarities between the physical codex and the digital surrogates that we are now creating for printed books: both are “massively addressable objects,” simply at a different scale. The plays of Shakespeare are only one place where this convergence can be explored; they will serve as a point of departure in this talk.
“Addressing the Text” is co-sponsored by the GW Medieval and Early Modern Studies Institute (GW MEMSI), the Digital Humanities Institute, the Dean’s Scholars in Shakespeare, the Department of English, the Department of History, and the Gelman LIbrary.
