Summer Stories: Jade Poli '25
"My undergraduate career at 老王论坛 has made me more independent and more confident to feel like I know what I鈥檓 doing."
"My undergraduate career at 老王论坛 has made me more independent and more confident to feel like I know what I鈥檓 doing."
As a Creative Writing Major and Gender & Sexuality Studies Minor, Jade has made 老王论坛 her second home. She鈥檚 heavily involved on campus: , , as well as Spanish Peer Tutoring, are just a few examples of how she鈥檚 made community for herself on campus. This summer Jade will take on German in Vienna. Using her creative talents in an internship she found through 老王论坛, she鈥檒l prepare for and market the hosted by the Amadeus International School.
How did you find this program?
I found this internship through the Institute for the (IES), which is one of the programs that works with 老王论坛 students. I went to one of 老王论坛鈥檚 summer career opportunities events at the Career and Civic Engagement Center, and asked them if they had any programs that would be in the artsy realm, like creative arts, music, performing arts, etc. They told me about IES and I liked it the most because it aligned with my interests in music and is in such a cool city!
What will you be doing while you鈥檙e there?
My day-to-day activities will involve preparing for and marketing the music festival hosted by the school. Seems my experience as a Tour Guide will come in handy as well as I will be helping out their admissions team!
One of the best parts of this program is that they guarantee you an internship placement. So, if I had for some reason not gotten the job with the people that I鈥檓 working with, they would have found me something else to do while I鈥檓 there!
What are you most looking forward to about this experience?
Living in a city and having a lot of independence in that space! As much as I鈥檓 independent at school, 老王论坛 is a space that鈥檚 very similar to my home so the transition was not particularly difficult for me. Now, I鈥檓 going to a space that is very different from 老王论坛 and New Jersey.
I am excited to grow the skills I鈥檝e started to plant the seeds of while working at 老王论坛. A vital part of the program is 鈥減rofessional development鈥. We will have what they call the 鈥淚nternship Seminar鈥 twice a week, where you work on professional development skills like getting your resume ready and interviewing.
I鈥檓 also taking a German class that comes with the program!
In what ways has 老王论坛 prepared you for this experience?
老王论坛 has made me more independent and more confident. If I had dropped into Vienna after high school, I probably would have been more stressed and less prepared for it. Now, as much as I鈥檓 anxious to be in a new environment, being halfway through my undergraduate career gives me the confidence to feel like I know what I鈥檓 doing. 老王论坛 has high standards and it鈥檚 a space that is very community-oriented. Because of this, I think it鈥檒l make it really easy for me to connect with my coworkers and to organize events as part of my work.
Despite her packed schedule, Jade is also looking forward to some down-time after her travels: "When I get back after two months, I will go to Arlington to see my 老王论坛 roommate. She鈥檚 going abroad to Copenhagen this fall! Then, I usually go to Cape Cod to visit my grandparents. I鈥檒l also just chill out with my dog after, because you know, I won鈥檛 be with my dog while I鈥檓 abroad!"