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IST Student Interns at G8 Summit
10/20/2009
by Kim Nguyen
by Kim Nguyen
Emily Bell, a senior security and risk analysis major, provided technical support at the G8 Summit in July.
This summer she got the opportunity to return when she landed a summer international internship with the U.S. Embassy in Rome.
Bell, a senior majoring in security and risk analysis, learned about the internship through her own research and from Don Shemanski, IST professor of practice, who spent 23 years serving as a diplomat with the United States Foreign Service prior to joining the college.
Bell found out in December that she had received an offer in Rome, beating out over 1,700 applicants
“I didn’t sleep for three nights,” Bell said. “I can’t even explain how happy I was.”
It wasn’t until the last week in May, after her security clearance had been finalized, that Bell received the all clear sign. She booked her ticket and arrived in Rome a few days later, eager and excited to start.
Bell found the Embassy had a welcoming, receiving and accepting environment.
“It’s a nice mix because you do have the American business culture,” Bell said. “You’re doing work for the U.S. and representing the U.S., but with the influence of the Italian culture and people."
Bell worked 40 hours a week in the Information Management Office, the in-house IT unit responsible for unclassified projects. The majority of her work was dedicated to creating training manuals for new users, including a video and audio series. She also worked on a new software program for use at all U.S. embassies.
When Bell began her internship, she was immersed in a frenzied atmosphere, as the embassy was busy preparing and planning for the G8 Annual Leaders' Summit, which was held July 8 to 10 in l’ Aquila, about an hour's drive from Rome.
Thinking that it would be a lifetime opportunity, she sought for a way to become involved. Bell was designated as assistant to the senior IT project manager, who was responsible for providing all telecommunication services and support to the American press. During the three-day event Bell worked with over 150 members of the U.S. media, as well as the White House press corps.
During her internship, Bell also conducted research for IST Professor Dave Hall. She observed the Italian culture in order to understand how social networking technologies are used abroad. Her time there yielded a number of insights into the relationship between technology and Italians in comparison to Americans, she said.
One example pertains to the differences between Americans and Italians in terms of their online shopping habits, Bell said.
"Italians just don't shop online,” she said. “They are the people of Armani, Gucci, Valentino and Prada. Fashion is a part of their culture, and the shopping experience is sensory. They need to see, touch, smell, hear, taste anything they consider buying and they need to do it at least twice."
Though she admits there were challenges associated with life on her own in a foreign country, Bell said the experience helped her to grow personally and to develop career goals.
“It reaffirmed my desire to live and work abroad,” Bell said. "it also reaffirmed my interest in a service-oriented job (involving) international relations, whether from a business or a government perspective.”
Bell graduates in December, and with the professionalism and teamwork experience that she has gained from her studies in IST, she said is ready to see where life will take her next.Bell will take the Foreign Service exam in October and plans to apply for graduate school internationally.
