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I am writing to express my complete disagreement with the article on the worst internships in Washington, D.C. (“The Seventh Circle of Hell,” 6/20). As a former intern at the National Organization for Women, my experience there was invaluable. Unlike my stint as an intern on Capitol Hill, where I honed my skills as a photocopier and message taker, I learned skills at NOW that continue to serve me daily.
As an intern at NOW, I was able to assist in planning NOW’s 1995 National Rally to End Violence Against Women, become an integral part of the 1994 elections team, learn a myriad of federal regulations, meet pioneers of the feminist movement, and lobby U.S. representatives and senators. I also gained a mentor who continues to this day to take an active role in my professional life.
It is a shame that the journalist who wrote this story did not seek out other NOW interns to ask for their experiences, which would have presented a more balanced picture. I would have been happy to tell her that it was the most rewarding, educational experience of my college life. And I dealt with my boyfriend problems out of the office at happy hour, like every other intern in D.C.
Dupont Circle