Washington DC: A New Adventure
Luca lasinschi interned at the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation. His internship involved conducting research on a wide range of topics, attending policy events and hearings across Washington, D.C., and assisting in the organization of events related to Ukraine. This experience confirmed his interest in living and working in Washington, D.C. and pursuing a career in public service, focused on causes he’s passionate about.
My name is Luca Iasinschi and I was very fortunate to take part in the Illinois In Washington (IIW) program during the spring semester of my junior year. I interned with the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation working on a wide range of projects including researching various topics, attending different events, and assisting in the organization of events.
Going into the program I very much looked at IIW as a single semester program, seeing that I would be spending a single semester in DC. But looking back I don’t think this approach was best. If I were to explain the program now, I would insist that it be approached as a yearlong endeavor. The first semester occurs while you are still on campus. It is very academically intensive, having to write and submit many time intensive and well curated applications, preparing for and attending interviews, all while still completing your normal courseload. The second semester starts once you actually arrive in DC. In this new environment you will not only have to acclimatize yourself to a hopefully rigorous internship, but to a new city, set of peers and coworkers, and coursework. While this semester will be academically challenging as well, I found that my mental resilience was tested more heavily. The combination of all these factors did pose a challenge, one that by the end of the semester I am very happy to say that I have overcome.
This semester was the first time I had been to DC, other than a day trip many years ago. I found DC to be an incredibly welcoming and interesting city to live in and I can definitely see myself living here in the future. The number of diverse places to explore and experiences to be had compacted into this relatively small and very accessible city is awesome. Even in my final weeks I found myself walking through beautiful neighborhoods and visiting new markets with friends. The people that surrounded me during this semester also made this experience as rewarding as it was. We supported each other, went to protests together, and hung out whenever we had free time. These people absolutely included the cohort from IIW but also included my two roommates from the University of Southern California. Washington DC, as the capital of the nation always has wide range of activities occurring non-stop, from cultural events like the Cherry Blossom Festival, to protests on any number of issue areas, to talks by significant global figures like the Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. All this without mentioning the extraordinary museums and delicious restaurants that have a permanent place in the city.
My internship with the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation has been one of the most rewarding endeavors I have ever undertaken. I set out to Washington wanting to see what working in DC would be like and I am now convinced that this is the place for me. My internship was majority online, but much of the staff was located near DC so I did have the opportunity to meet fellow staff members. Additionally, I was required to attend events hosted by the foundation and others throughout DC relevant to Ukraine. A major responsibility of mine was conducting research for the foundation. My research would be used in a variety of areas from simply answering questions that were brought up during meetings, to being compiled into larger reports, to helping inform the public about current events and historical topics. Of the many highlights of my internship two moments stand out the most. One of the first events I attended was a House Foreign Relations Committee hearing about USAID. I had to keep up with the representatives’ debate, while simultaneously understanding the arguments being made and taking notes for a report, I would write later that day. A second project I really enjoyed was one that I never would have expected. The National Police of Ukraine had requested assistance in understanding the American therapy dog system, the requirements of therapy dogs, and organizations associated with their use. I completed my research and submitted a report of my findings, which eventually was translated and used by the National Police of Ukraine. Through my work and these two examples I have been able to contribute to an issue area that I care about deeply, supporting Ukraine. Such dedication to causes is what I hope will keep me motivated throughout my career and I am glad I worked on my first cause this semester.
