FHU Student Spends Summer as Intern in D.C.

Jared Pack, senior history major at Freed-Hardeman University, had the opportunity of a lifetime this summer. Through an academic internship program called the Washington Center, Pack became an editorial intern with CQ Press, which is an academic publishing company in the field of political science based out of Washington D.C.

Pack began his internship working on photo captioning, market research projects, and organizing tables of contents. He was soon given the opportunity to research and write articles for the Political Handbook of the World 2012; the book profiles the political history, structure, and parties of over 200 countries and 35 intergovernmental organizations. Twenty-seven of Pack’s articles are being published in the book, and he will be listed as a contributing editor.

Pack considers his summer in D.C. to be the best experience of his life. According to Pack, “My time at CQ Press was invaluable, and the programming and classes offered by the Washington Center allowed me to expand both my level of knowledge and network of contacts. I got to meet some awesome people…as well as develop skills that will benefit me for the rest of my life.” In addition to working for CQ Press, Pack also took a seminar in U.S. Foreign Policy, attended the College Republicans National Convention, and met with several members of Congress, both current and retired.

Pack believes that his internship has provided him the skills and experience for a career in academia as a university professor. His work resulted in a job offer as a freelance writer and editor for The Political Handbook of the World. Pack is currently working for CQ Press on a part-time basis now that he is back at FHU. Pack states, “Overall, this summer opened a lot of doors that, I hope, will help me go far in life.”

Not only did Pack gain valuable experience from his internship, but he also earned academic credit at FHU. For more information on internships at the Washington Center, go online to www.twc.edu.