After attending an Employer Information Session hosted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), MPP student Kayla Good ’20 found the perfect opportunity to pursue her passion for program and policy evaluation.
“I liked the mission of the organization, what they do and their impact,” Good explains. “I thought, ‘I want to do that.’ When they had an employer session, I went because I wanted to learn more about their internships.”
Since attending the Career Services event, she has participated in not one, but two internships with the organization, which examines how taxpayer money is being spent and provides Congress with objective, reliable information on how to improve efficiency. Over the summer, Good worked full time with the Forensic Audits and Investigative services team and then began interning in the fall on the Education, Workforce, and Income Security program.
For Good, attending the Employer Information Session helped her gain the courage to apply for an internship with the GAO. She encourages other students interested in learning more about policy internship and job opportunities to attend similar events that interest them.
“Doing research beforehand and knowing if you're interested in that organization helps,” Good says.The presenter can give you insight and tips on how to make your application stand out and you can talk to them after the event”
On Nov. 6, Good was able to attend this year’s employer information session hosted by the GAO. SPP alumni Kristen Jones MPP '07, Laurie Chin MPP '17, Cody Knudsen MPP '17 and Alyssa Bertoni MPP '19 came to campus to speak on their experiences working at the GAO and to talk about upcoming opportunities in their agency. Being able to attend the event as a current intern and seeing her supervisor, Jones, talk to fellow students shows the power of the SPP community, Good says.
As an attendee at the event, Good’s journey came full circle from first learning about the GAO to now interning with them and sharing valuable knowledge with fellow students.
“It’s fun to hear the perspective of alumni coming from SPP, their background and what they specialize in, and what classes prepared them. Last year, it was good for me because just knowing it was possible gave me confidence to apply,” Good recalls. “This year, the event gave the opportunity for attendees to learn about GAO and gain that same confidence.”