(From left: Zena Pare, Jayden Thomas. Not pictured: Madelynn Einhorn.)

Three WKU students were awarded internships with the U.S. Department of State for summer 2020. Jayden Thomas of Glasgow was awarded a U.S. Foreign Service Internship; Madelynn Einhorn of Oakwood, Ohio and Zena Pare of Alvaton earned U.S. Department of State Internships.

U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE INTERNSHIP

Jayden Thomas, a political science and international affairs major, is the son of Tammy Thomas. He has been awarded the U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship for intensive study of Japanese, as well as the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and Freeman Award for Study in Asia (ASIA) Scholarship for study abroad. He aims for a career with the U.S. Department of State, which he has pursued since attending the Student Conference on U.S. Affairs (SCUSA) at West Point Military Academy, an opportunity he discovered through a relationship with the Office of Scholar Development. He thanks Dr. Soleiman Kiasatpour and Dr. Timothy Rich from the Department of Political Science for their inspiration and support. He is a member of the Mahurin Honors College. 

The U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program provides two fully funded, ten-week summer internships to familiarize students with diplomacy and the Foreign Service. Jayden will complete training and a policy desk internship in a regional or functional bureau at State this summer. Next year, he will complete a ten-week assignment to a U.S. embassy overseas such as Tokyo, Japan. 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE INTERNSHIP

Madelynn Einhorn, a political science and economics major, is the daughter of Ginger and Barry Einhorn. Through a WKU Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement (FUSE) Grant for research with Dr. Tim Rich, she collected original survey data and analyzed public opinion research, which she credits for helping her develop skills that made her a successful applicant for the internship. Madelynn plans to continue to use quantitative analysis to analyze data from the social sciences, as well as her experimental work on perceptions of identity in fraudulent emails, in graduate school.  She is a member of the WKU Forensics Team, as well as the Mahurin Honors College.

Zena Pare, an international business, corporate and organizational communication, and economics major with a minor in American Sign Language studies and a certificate in advanced professionalism, is the daughter of Grady H. and Cindi Pare. Zena plans to work internationally in a capacity that allows her to learn from others and empower people, work inspired by her experiences on Semester at Sea through Study Abroad and Global Learning and interning at the International Center of Kentucky. Working with OSD has, she says, shown her the variety of potential career paths for her future. Zena is a member of the Mahurin Honors College.

The U.S. Department of State Student Internship Program gives undergraduate students the opportunity to work in U.S. embassies and consulates, as well as in various bureaus in Washington, D.C. In summer 2020, Madelynn will analyze public opinion data through an internship with the Office of Analysis for Near East and South Asia, which is part of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research in the U.S. Department of State. Zena declined the U.S. Department of State Internship in order to complete a paid internship in Treasury Shared Services at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis in summer 2020. 

All three students worked with Lindsey Houchin, coordinator of nationally competitive opportunities in the Office of Scholar Development, to prepare competitive applications. WKU students who are interested in pursuing internships and careers with the U.S. Department of State are also encouraged to connect with Lindsey Houchin at lindsey.houchin@wku.edu.

About the Office of Scholar Development: The Office of Scholar Development is committed to helping WKU students in all majors and degree programs develop the vision, experience and skills to be independent, engaged scholars. OSD welcomes the opportunity to work with students interested in nationally competitive scholarships and opportunities.

Contact: Lindsey Houchin, lindsey.houchin@wku.edu