Nahida Islam is an intern in the International Trade Administration, Office of Public Affairs (OPA). In this intern spotlight, she shares her experience as a summer intern, working in the International Trade Administration. This is the final installment of an eight-part series.

Can you share a little bit about yourself and why you chose the U.S. Department of Commerce for your internship?

My name is Nahida Islam and I am a rising senior at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) studying government & politics with a concentration in international development. At UMD, I am an active member of the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Co-Ed Fraternity, and the Maryland Undergraduate Law Review as a managing editor. I have participated in multiple projects involving raising awareness of issues within the South Asian community and highlighting the importance of minorities within the workforce.

As a first-generation student, I am always looking for opportunities to diversify my skillset and expand my network. I chose to intern with the International Trade Administration, Office of Public Affairs (OPA) to learn more about how ITA communicates its important mission of promoting U.S. exports abroad and attracting foreign investment to the public. It has been an amazing experience so far working with the OPA team.

What have you been working on during your internship?

Throughout this internship, I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in many day-to-day operations of OPA, including helping compile daily news clips which inform ITA leadership and staff of important news, researching media inquiries, and brainstorming with ITA teams on social media posts and the ITA blog to support their work and amplify their messages. I have also been able to assist with communication planning for principal events and ITA initiatives as well as draft internal reports that require collaboration across multiple ITA program offices and are shared with leadership. The tasks I’ve been assigned have given me a bird’s eye view into how many professions and teams are involved in helping the United States facilitate and develop policies for international trade.

What have you learned during this internship that you can apply in the future?

There are many aspects of this internship that I’ll take with me in the future, whether in school or in the workforce. I’ve seen and learned first-hand how to share one message for various audiences and being able to take part in multiple projects has given me insight into the process of following an idea or concept all the way to its final product. I witnessed how different groups of people work together to achieve one goal while on multiple deadlines. When I received feedback from OPA staff or other teams, I felt that I was hearing from the experts on what a successful outcome looks like, which helped me to turn revisions or input into action and deliver results. One of the biggest lessons I will take with me is understanding the importance of communicating effectively within and outside of a team to ensure transparency, engagement, and productivity. This has truly been a great internship experience and I will use the skills I’ve learned to build a foundation for future career endeavors.