Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Groups and Government

Hey everyone! Another great club I am involved with on campus is Stanford in Government (SIG), a 50-year-old nonpartisan student organization dedicated to increasing political awareness at Stanford and connecting students with opportunities in public service. It is one of the oldest clubs on campus, as it was founded in 1963 as a program that offered summer internships to students in Washington, DC. Today, SIG does so much more that just offer internship opportunities, but serves as a policy forum for the entire school. We host large lecture and conference events about topical policy issues and run voter registration drives and public service workshops. I am on the Alumni Outreach Committee, so I am responsible for alumni communication and planning of campus-wide events with notable guests speakers.

Every board member gets a sign on their door!
A policy event in action
However, the most exciting part of SIG is the internship opportunities! Each year, SIG provides 43 state, national, and international summer fellowships. And the great part, any student regardless of age or major can apply! We had over 200 applicants this year! Some of the exciting fellowships this year were with the New York City Economic Development Corporation in New York City, the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington D.C., the United Nations High Commission on Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland, and the World Wildlife Fund in Belize. Talk about some great opportunities! These would never be available to the Stanford students without the work of SIG.

Being in this club has been an amazing experience for me. I have been able to expand my passion for policy while meeting new people who share my same interests. I have also been able to meet key leaders in politics like Congressman Joe Kennedy (fun fact-he's a Stanford alumnus!). I have also been exposed to great internship position opportunities in Washington D.C. and expanded my political network. I cannot wait to see where this club takes me in the future!

I can't wait to talk about more exciting Stanford clubs with you! Would you join a club like Stanford in Government? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

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