Lesson Plans
BY LIBBY PUTMAN MBA '10
Issue date: 10/13/09 Section: Student Life
I was selected last summer for a fellowship at Education Pioneers. It's a program that brings together graduate students in business, law, education and policy into summer cohorts to learn more about education reform. At the same time you're working independently at an internship placement in education. The idea is to get a bunch of smart people who are interested in education to get involved and start making change at the management level.
I interned at Curriculum Associates, an educational publisher outside of Boston. During my internship I worked on a marketing strategy project to better understand the special education landscape and how it's being affected by over $12 billion in funds through the stimulus plan. I helped them to clarify how special education is currently defined and how that's changing with the increasing emphasis being put on standardized testing for all students.
But that's just what my resume says. What it really ended up being was a wonderful opportunity to work with a very smart and hard-working team at my internship and to meet a group of amazing graduate students who are passionate about education: people who were helping write new legislation for Charter Schools or ensuring that every high school student can navigate financial aid applications for college. It was also just the experience I needed to decide to work for an educational nonprofit after graduation. And isn't that what summer internships are supposed to be all about?
Part of the reason I was able to do the Education Pioneers fellowship and still pay my rent was the Sloan nonprofit internship fund. For those of you prepping for case interviews or brushing up on your brainteasers, you'll probably be sampling your future lifestyle this summer. But if you're thinking about doing something a little different and trying to make some social impact, don't let the finances hold you back. Take a risk. There might be an opportunity out there that gives you more than just another bullet point on your resume.
I interned at Curriculum Associates, an educational publisher outside of Boston. During my internship I worked on a marketing strategy project to better understand the special education landscape and how it's being affected by over $12 billion in funds through the stimulus plan. I helped them to clarify how special education is currently defined and how that's changing with the increasing emphasis being put on standardized testing for all students.
But that's just what my resume says. What it really ended up being was a wonderful opportunity to work with a very smart and hard-working team at my internship and to meet a group of amazing graduate students who are passionate about education: people who were helping write new legislation for Charter Schools or ensuring that every high school student can navigate financial aid applications for college. It was also just the experience I needed to decide to work for an educational nonprofit after graduation. And isn't that what summer internships are supposed to be all about?
Part of the reason I was able to do the Education Pioneers fellowship and still pay my rent was the Sloan nonprofit internship fund. For those of you prepping for case interviews or brushing up on your brainteasers, you'll probably be sampling your future lifestyle this summer. But if you're thinking about doing something a little different and trying to make some social impact, don't let the finances hold you back. Take a risk. There might be an opportunity out there that gives you more than just another bullet point on your resume.
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