Every officer has a unique path to the Agency, and CIA interns are no exception. CIA.gov recently sat down with a political analyst in the Directorate of Analysis (DA) working in the Global Issues Mission Center to learn more about his journey to the CIA and his experiences during his summer internship.
Tell us about your path to CIA:
I first crossed paths with the CIA at recruiting events at my university in Texas, where I learned what the world of intelligence actually looks like. After interning in Washington with the Department of Defense and a private company, I applied and received an offer for an analyst intern position at the Agency. I was excited to use my engineering background to translate technical developments across the world into analytical insights for US policymakers.
Describe your experiences as an analyst intern in the DA:
The CIA does a phenomenal job of empowering its young employees, including interns. Within a few weeks on the job, I found myself writing reports for the National Security Council and preparing to brief senior military officers. My particular areas of focus were conflict, humanitarian, and water security issues in the Middle East, where constant geopolitical developments created a fast-paced environment for my summer responsibilities. As the summer progressed, I engaged in weekly meetings with personnel from across the Intelligence Community, conducted research on developments in the Middle East, strategized and published analytical reports with colleagues, and assisted in Agency marketing efforts for internship opportunities, among many other experiences and activities. I appreciated the ownership I had over my responsibilities, allowing me to truly add value to Agency efforts; college students are a real part of the team at the CIA.
What is your favorite thing about your internship experience?
My two favorite aspects of my internship are the value of my work and the CIA community. Knowing that my daily efforts protect US interests across the world is one of the most rewarding parts of working at the Agency; my desire to make a difference for our country is fulfilled when I see my work delivered to the White House, State Department, and other policymakers. Regarding the CIA community, I thoroughly enjoyed developing relationships with my colleagues over the course of my internship. In my experiences, there is a high degree of respect and trust between employees across the Agency, creating a positive work environment conducive to our critically important mission.
