1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is one of the world’s most recognizable addresses and was, for the Spring 2013 semester, junior Alyssa Alicino’s internship destination. The School of Public Affairs undergrad and Queens native was among a select group of young men and women from across the country participating in the White House Internship Program.
Alicino’s internship responsibilities included conducting research, managing incoming inquiries, attending meetings, staffing events, and writing memos. She also participated in weekly events, including a speaker series with senior staff members and small-group meetings exploring different policy aspects of the Executive Office of the President. As part of the White House Internship Program, which places an emphasis on community service, she and the other interns also took part in regularly scheduled service projects at schools and nonprofit organizations in Washington, D.C.
Like other notable White House occupants, Alicino began her career in public service at the local level. Previously she interned at the Brooklyn Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and worked for nonprofit Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She also has held leadership positions in AIESEC, a not-for-profit international, student-run organization that promotes foreign exchange. She herself has studied abroad in Spain and Guatemala and done volunteer work in Chile. This summer Alicino is interning with the U.S. State Department in Buenos Aires.
“Dedicated to bettering society,” Alicino plans to pursue a career in the U.S. Foreign Service.
—Reporting by Manny Romero
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“Commitment to Service Helps Global Go-Getter Stand Out” in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education (Apr. 9, 2013)