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Summer in the City: Two Students Share their Internship Experiences in Washington, D.C.

While the Pepperdine University Washington D.C. Internship Program has existed for many years, it recently found a new, permanent home at 2011 Pennsylvania Ave., just three blocks from the White House. Every day, students emerge from the house and merge into the traffic of movers and shakers in the nation's hub of history, politics, and culture, on their way to the site of their respective internships.

"We've had students at the White House, the State department, the Health and Human Services, Agriculture, the Justice Department—almost every federal agency," says Khalil Jahshan, executive director of the Washington D.C. Internship Program at Pepperdine.
We caught up with two Seaver College students, Darren Cinatl ('11) and Aja Jordan ('10) who completed two very different internships this past summer, to hear about how they lent their hands to forward progress in our nation's historic capitol.

Darren Cinatl: International Man of Law Enforcement

International Studies major Darren Cinatl (BA '11) has wanted to work for the United States Marshals Service since he was 13 years old. Growing up in La Quinta, California, he gained experience working at the Indio Police Department, and upon coming to Pepperdine University, the Santa Monica Police Department. This past summer, he completed an internship with INTERPOL, the world's leading International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) that facilitates as a means for communication between domestic and foreign law enforcement entities.

Can you offer some background on INTERPOL?
INTERPOL is made up of 187 member countries, and each country has a National Central Bureau (NCB), which is generally located in the capital city. I worked for the NCB for the United States, or the United States National Central Bureau of INTERPOL (USNCB). The agency, which falls under the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, serves as a way for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies here in the United States to communicate with those abroad. Whether it be fulfilling international background investigations, or assisting in the capture of international fugitives, the USNCB handles it all.

Tell us about your first day; what was it like walking into the world's largest international police organization?
Intimidating indeed. I was told of the building's location the day that I was supposed to report for duty. I walked from the Pepperdine house, passing the White House, and finally arrived at the building, which had no markings—just heavy security. As I took the elevator up to my floor, I began to think of what I would be doing. I met up with my supervisors and they were all really nice, so intimidation quickly turned to comfort as I felt somewhat at home with all the work I was doing.

 

What was your role in your internship?
My primary assignment was to the State and Local Liaison division, where I conducted background investigations on local, state, and federal law enforcement applicants, contacted various law enforcement agencies for outreach work (assisted in missing persons cases, homicides where suspects were fleeing the country, and other violent crimes), and processed INTERPOL international notices (Red for violent crimes such as homicides, rapes, etc.; Yellow notices for missing children and adults; and Blue notices on stolen firearms and other items that could serve as a threat to law enforcement officers).

I also worked in the Fugitive Division alongside the United States Marshals Service, where I helped other interns trace and locate fugitives through investigations with local and state agencies, as well as process Red and Blue notices for the division.

What is the coolest thing you saw or did?
I was issued a U.S. Marshals tactical vest, radio, and other equipment, and went out with Deputy U.S. Marshals and other federal agents assigned to the task force to go apprehend some of D.C.’s most wanted fugitives. We ended up arresting two fugitives, both who had warrants for violent crimes, and conducted a few surveillance missions on target houses. I wanted to work for the USMS since I started in law enforcement at the age of 13, so working with the CARFTF was an amazing experience for me.

Did you experience meet your expectations?
It has exceeded my expectations. The trust that INTERPOL bestowed upon me and the knowledge that I have attained will certainly stay with me throughout my career. I also met some very interesting people, and built up a list of contacts that ranges from Department of State agents, to Secret Service operatives.

What are your future career plans and goals?
I plan to continue working with the Santa Monica Police Department, and possibly move over to the United States Marshals LA Field office, while I complete my degree. After graduation I am going to fulfill my military commitment with the United States Army, with the hopes of obtaining a Special Forces slot. After, I plan to apply with the United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, and the Department of State so that I can continue on track with a career in law enforcement.

Jordan on Jordan: Aja Jordan Brings Researching Skills to the Embassy of Jordan

Senior Aja Jordan completed her second internship in Washington D.C. over the summer. As a double major in International Studies and Political Science, Jordan returned to gain some experience at a foreign embassy. "From the beginning, I knew that I wanted to intern at an embassy whose country was either Middle Eastern or where they spoke Arabic. I did a search of all the embassies in D.C. that could be placed in this category and Jordan just so happened to be the best fit. It was luck that I was chosen," she says of her position at the Embassy of Jordan.

What did your day-to-day duties entail?
To my pleasant surprise, my role was to do research with the deputy chief of mission  (DCM) of the embassy. I researched the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from its inception to its current status. I would then take those results and present them to the DCM via written reports. This was mostly for my benefit as the DCM of the embassy is actually well versed in the conflict. In other words, it was like taking a reading, writing, and research-intensive class while gaining real-life work experience.

What was one of your most memorable moments?
I was able to attend the Sunset Parade at the Iwo Jima Memorial. It featured performances by the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corp and precision drill by the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. The setting was amazing as it all takes place in front of the memorial as you watch the sun go down. However, the best part was that I got to sit in the front row for the show with a retired master sergeant and an injured veteran and good friend from Operation Enduring Freedom (in Afghanistan). Honestly, it was as if I was watching the making of a United States Marine Corps commercial on television.

What has been the biggest benefit of interning at the Jordan embassy?
Gaining more realistic work experience. At the time, I didn't realize how helpful it would be since I'm no stranger to researching and writing papers. However, it was in such a different environment and the closest I've ever been to what my immediate job might be. In the beginning, I didn’t really have any expectations because I really had no idea of what to expect. Now that I'm looking back on my experience, I think it met my expectations in ways that I hadn’t thought it would before.

What are your future career plans and goals?
I hope to either work for an international non-governmental agency or in the U.S. government that has some type of affiliation with the Middle East and/or Arab world. More specifically, I hope that it's in the realm of education or public relations. Also, through this, I hope to learn Arabic and/or Pashto and/or Farsi. As of right now, these are the most concrete plans that I have for myself but I don’t doubt that the minor details will change as I start to be more proactive toward finding my career. As long as I have a plan…

What's the best thing about living in Washington D.C.?
The best thing about living in D.C. is the fact that everyone seems to have similar aspirations of being successful and making their mark on the city. It is a daily motivator to know that everyone is running the same race to get ahead in their careers, so you have to work just as hard as they do if not harder to get ahead. This experience made me realize that the post-grad life really isn't for the faint of heart. I realized that I have to jump in feet first if I want to accomplish any of the goals that I have set for myself; it's all about the follow through.

Click here to find out more about the Seaver College Washington D.C. Program.