Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Elisabeth McAnulty Squires '80: Boob Lady

It seems that of late my contributions to the blog have gotten a bit too wonky--all this talk about internships, graduate education and specialization. What about all the rest of life?

Fortunately, out of the blue came an email from Elisabeth McAnulty Squires '80 with an update of what she's been up to. The Seattle PI newspaper describes her mission to educate and empower to make women "comfortable in their own skin."

Elisabeth's a bit more specific than that. I'll let her speak for herself:

Elisabeth McAnulty Squires is a 1980 graduate of the department. After receiving her degree, she settled down into her now-nearly 25 year marriage to attorney Randy Squires, and kept busy raising their three children. In her spare time, she also volunteered with numerous non-profits focused on the arts and children’s education. Building on her expertise of persuading corporations and individuals to support worthy charities, she’s now writing a book asking women to be more charitable to their breasts.

bOObs: A Guide to Your Girls, is a humorous and informative owner’s manual to be published by Seal Press in fall, 2007. It features personal stories (“Mammoirs”) and advice from experts on how to put your best breast forward at every stage of your life. Her website, www.booksonboobs.com, invites readers to as Ask the Boob Lady, join her Boob Talk forum, or find other breast resources.

Elisabeth’s book and site offer women true tech support for their breasts. From bra basics to breast development, breastfeeding, cosmetic surgery, breast health and breast cancer news and causes, women learn everything they need to know. Her mission is to educate and inspire women to be good to their “girls.” She also makes appearances as the Boob Lady, presenting a Boobs 101 course to area middle and high school students.

Elisabeth's political science degree is not that far removed from her book’s subject. Women’s breasts are a powerful symbol in our society, evoking moral, sexual and maternal judgments. Her book recounts the conservative line (a la John Ashcroft covering of the Spirit of Justice’s bare bosom) to liberal views on public breastfeeding, the silicone wars of the 1990s, politics of breast cancer and cause marketing, to the extreme independents lobbying for a woman’s right to be “top free” anywhere a man is allowed to do the same. Elisabeth’s own view on breasts has changed dramatically since starting on this project. As she puts it, “who knew there was so much to say about boobs?”

All the breast, Elisabeth

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Monday, February 26, 2007

Free Scotland?

Another great update from Professor Share heading the ILACA program in the UK.


Most people associate Edinburgh, Scotland, with castles and kilts. During our recent visit there we saw both,of course, but a focus of our trip there was Scottish nationalism. When Tony Blair took power in 1997 he carried out his pledge to devolve some political power to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, all of which got their own parliament. Scotland’s last parliament had been abolished with the Act of Union in 1707. Therefore, the inauguration of a new Scottish parliament in 1999 was shrouded in symbolism. The parliament building, a modernistic architectural marvel designed by the late Catalan architect Enric Miralles, was itself controversial, both for its design and its cost (which escalated to ten times the allocated budget). In contrast to Westminister, The Scots purposely designed their chamber to be semi-circular so as to promote consensus and as a way of rejecting the UK’s adversarial style of politics.

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To date, the new Scottish executive has been dominated by a Labour-Liberal Democratic coalition. Labour has been the dominant party in Scotland for decades, so Blair’s decision to push devolution can be viewed as an attempt to reward the most pro-Labour part of the UK. However, in recent years Blair’s Labour government in London has been increasingly unpopular. The Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP), which advocates independence for Scotland, has surged in the polls, despite the fact that top members of the government in London (including Gordon Brown, set to replace Blair as prime minister) are Scottish. Blair’s unpopular foreign policy may have unwittingly created an impetus for Scotland’s secession.


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My British politics students were fortunate to have a meeting with Kenny MacAskill, a leading SNP member of the Scottish parliament. MacAskill carefully and persuasively made the case for Scottish independence. The SNP, he argues, believes that Scotland is fundamentally distinct from England and the rest of the UK, viewing it more like the Scandinavian social democracies (to which Scotland has geographic and cultural similarities). An independent Scotland, he claims, would seek a stronger welfare state, would adopt the Euro, and would work more closely with the United Nations. He argued that the war in Iraq has particularly irritated Scots, suggesting that an independent Scotland would never have gone to war. He believes an independent Scotland is economically viable, due to North Sea oil, tourism, and high-tech industries. He constantly cited Ireland as a prosperous but once-poor nation-state that Scotland could emulate.

Strategically, MacAskill argued that the Scottish electoral system (a mixed electoral system that has a large element of proportional representation) would unlikely deliver the SNP a majority in the next elections (scheduled for May). However, he thinks the SNP can form a coalition government with some other parties (perhaps the Liberal Democrats, and possibly even the Conservatives) and demonstrate to the electorate that it is capable of good government. At some future point, the SNP would propose a referendum on independence which he believes could be successful.

Of course, there are many unanswered questions. The UK is a unitary state, and Scotland cannot legally become independent on the basis of the referendum: it would need permission from London. There are serious economic questions (e.g. who controls the oil in the North Sea), and equally vexing political ones.

MacAskill and the SNP have advocated a non-confrontational form of nationalism. He pointed out that the SNP have made a serious effort to avoid basing the claims for nationalism on any past conflict between Scotland and England. MacAskill believes that most of the problems confronting Scotland at present should not be blamed on London, and he believes that an independent Scotland can still work closely with the rest of the UK.

Whether or not Scotland becomes independent, the creation of the Scottish parliament has done much to rekindle a sense of pride and confidence in Scotland. The parliament has already passed a number of laws that further differentiate Scotland from the rest of the UK. We were the beneficiaries of one such policy: smoking is banned in all public indoor spaces in Scotland, and were therefore able to breathe easier during our visits to local pubs.

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Professor Share forgot to mention that he has managed to find other folks to jam with in London; seems that bluegrass has infected that part of the world, like a bug-resistant sickness.

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Julia Grant '05: All Across Asia

After my recent video post of Professor Bonura in Vietnam I got an email from Julia Grant '05, who was there as well. And she's been everywhere:

To be short, since graduation I've been doing a lot and yet nothing at all. Now here's an overly long explanation of everything I've been doing for the past two years. I wasn't expecting it to be so long, but I've been by myself for a while, so I think it makes me a bit of a blabber mouth at times. I'd apologize for it's length, but I know you academics have nothing else to do but check emails all day!

So, first I took off to New Zealand, where I have family and citizenship. I thought that I'd settle down and get some job in the government, I tried for a few positions in the Ministry for the Environment but ended up as a receptionist for an HR firm; that's where I realized that I hate life in an office. After that I wandered down to the nations capital Wellington and became active in several activist groups. I organized, protested, went on a roadshow, and was the longest standing member of the longest environmental occupation in New Zealand. I got in the papers and TV… which made me realize some of the benefits of working in such a small country. If you're a specialist in something, most likely you're one of the only specialists there, and therefore you get a lot of attention. Though, I had to question the legitimacy of activism as a means for creating change. I think it's important to have people raising consciousness of issues, but the ways activists do it sometimes seems like it stigmatizes environmental concerns, making them only popular for extremists and young people. From this I learnt that I love nature, not just in the abstract "we love it because we need it" but in the day to day, I'm happiest when I'm outside.

So I started WWOOFing (willing workers on organic farms), where you work four hours a day in exchange for room and board. So now I love organic farming, but I'm not sure what to do with that. I would hitch hike to all the different farms and got itchy feet. New Zealand is great but it the people, while well traveled still seem to have a narrow view of life. I think because it's such a privileged country (I only saw two homeless people the whole time I was there, and one took his money from the dole to go to Fiji once a year, and the other was a Mauri who did so more as a statement than anything) people have a different perspective on the world. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but I guess I've started to question my middle class life and feel the need to see how the rest of the world is influenced by rich countries.

I went to Australia for six months to save money for a big trip, I was interested in India and until I heard my uncle was getting married in Vietnam I was dead set on going there. So in November I set off For Bangkok, to go through Cambodia before meeting my family in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking the bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap was a shock. At the Thai/Cambodia border there was this little boy, probably seven years old, taking care of his little sister, still a baby in a sling around his neck. I was in a line and he approached me, stretching out his hand he said "madam, please?" and at this point I was uncertain about begging, I heard you shouldn't give money to children because it encourages begging and they probably would have to give their money to someone else anyway. So I said no. He kept asking, and gesturing toward his mouth. I just wanted to feed and hug him, but I knew no matter what I did I couldn't really help him, I mean, I couldn't abolish poverty. He put his little sisters hand around my pinkie, "please,madam?" There were flocks of children just like this wherever we went.

As we entered Siem Reep (known for Ankor Wat and many other temples) I saw the gaudiest resorts and mega hotels. They were mostly empty. After the temples gained popularity people from all over the country flocked to the city to get low paying jobs from the foreign owned hotels or to start their own business as a tuk-tuk driver or to open up a small restaurant. There were a few years of growth, but for the past three tourism has declined, so every business is fighting like hell for any customer they can get. Prices are dropping like crazy. I'm using a five year old travel guide and the prices they quote are double what I got while I was there, and I didn't bother haggling… though it would be easy to get half of what most people asked.

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Cuc Phuong National Park

...I left Cambodia and entered the comparatively wealthy Vietnam. The standard of living is higher there. Education is expensive, but still accessible to many, and there are more employment opportunities. In Cambodia, if there was a restaurant, it was for tourists (or wealthy government officials) and likewise most the stores. There's a growing middle class, and it shows throughout the country. After the wedding and family reunion I took off on a motorcycle to see the rest of the country, not just the main cities. I'm not sure if communism (and currently socialism) has anything to do with it, but I saw relatively few people who weren't getting their basic needs met. I started to get over the shock I had in Cambodia, I was probably more busy getting used to the attention to think about much else. I'd be riding through a small village and people would yell at me "Hello! Hello!" it reminded me of River Town, the author goes on a little tirade about how people shout hello at him, more as a label than a greeting.

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Floating Market, Mekong Delta

Whenever I stopped a large group of people would crowd around me, touching my sweater, sometimes even grabbing my face and giving me a large lecture about who knows what. There was this one town I spent a few days in and the people treated me so well, I was quite astounded. No one spoke more than HBO english (they could say phrases like, "Happy Birthday" and "No Smoking" the latter being extremely odd as smoking anywhere and ashing on the floor is completely socially acceptable) so we had to have conversations out of my phrase book. One girl took me to her home and arranged for me to go to her fathers work the next day.

Everywhere I went in this town I was presented with rice wine, cigarettes, food, and whatever wasn't nailed down. I would look at a painting of Uncle Ho and someone would try to present it as a gift. Hospitality seems to be ingrained in the culture. I say that not just because of the way I was treated, but other things as well. For instance, their houses are usually only comprised of one or two rooms. If they have two one is for sleeping and eating; this room has no decorations or little comforts like cushions. However, there's always a "front room" or section set aside that's comparatively fancy. This area has nice chairs and a table, as well as decorations, like a calender or a painting, and a tea set laying out, unused but ready just in case. All the houses I've been in had these areas completely spotless, and I would be ushered into them, sitting on new cushions and drinking from spotless tea sets, while I could look over to the rest of the house, which would be dusty and every piece of furniture well used. I thought it must be important for them if they're willing to to allocate so much space and money to something they seem to use so infrequently.

Right now I'm in Laos, and soon Thailand and Malaysia. After that I'd like to go back to New Zealand or America and start something… I'd love to go back to school, but without any clear idea of what I'd like to do, I wouldn't want to get into debt pursuing something that may lead to nothing.

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Friday, February 23, 2007

The Trail on Tull and PG

A piece in The Trail on the recent visit by Andrea Tull '02 to campus and her talk on working in DC. Of course, the most important thing about the article is that it mentions me. It's all about me.

Puma + Hacksaw = ?

"So I start thinking. This is a beautiful animal. And how cool would it be to get a little piece of him. I mean, I feel bad that he is dead, especially for no reason. But it seems even worse to just throw him out. So I kinda start saying to Debbie, knowing she'll say something for me, about how I wouldn't mind having a claw or something. And of course - good old Debbie - she starts telling the old man Mark the white boy wants a claw. Now that I have an in, I start asking him. He says fine, though with a look of indifference mixed with "what type of crazy white boy is this?"

Read the whole story over at Peace Corps Guyana, part of our PG alum blogroll.

Monday Talk: EU and the Euro

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An interesting talk, to be certain, and another great poster by our incredible department secretary, Irene Lim.

Your Friday Roundup of Opportunities

1. Internship, Senator Patty Murray
Senator Murray is looking for legislative interns in D.C. and constituent advocacy interns in the Seattle and Spokane state offices. Applicants should be eager to learn more about the federal government, and want to be part of a hardworking team, dedicated to serving the citizens of Washington state.

Qualifications: Applicants must be graduate or undergraduate college students who
have completed at least one year of college and whose permanent residence is the state of Washington or are attending a Washington state college or university.
Deadline: The spring deadline is March 15 for summer.

For more information about the program, application procedures, and contact information please see the website http://murray.senate.gov/internship/index.cfm


2. STAFF ASSISTANT POSITION, DC
Southeast Texas Democrat is looking to fill a Staff Assistant position in the DC office. Seeking a dependable and attentive individual to staff the front desk; receive and route calls and other incoming materials appropriately; provide Capitol tours and fill orders for constituent tours and other services; and support office administration. E-mail resume and desired salary to TXJobOpening2@mail.house.gov.


3. Scheduler/Office Manager - DC
Senior Northeast Democrat is seeking office manager/scheduler for active, energetic office. Position would handle all aspects of busy Member schedule and invites, as well as billing and account process for DC and three district offices. Candidates must have strong organizational abilities, excellent communication skills, and the ability to multi-task. An ability and willingness to work long hours and some evenings is required. Previous scheduling experience preferred. Thorough knowledge of House office accounts or comparable financial system would be a plus. Please email resume, cover letter, and references to Ny28jobs@mail.house.gov. Please, no phone calls or walk-ins.

4. Refugees International (RI) - Internships - Washington, DC
Refugees International (RI) offers unpaid internships throughout the year for students and recent graduates seeking work experience in the humanitarian field. Interns will be involved with a variety of projects that contribute to RI's advocacy on behalf of displaced people around the world.

Interns work with RI staff in a support capacity. Projects include: regional and issue research, attending meetings on behalf of RI and taking notes, development of issue briefs, writing for the website and other projects. Requirements: Knowledge of humanitarian issues and the international community, excellent research and writing skills, excellent communication skills, and Bachelor's level of education in a related field.

To Apply: Send cover letter (including proposed working dates), resume, brief writing sample, and letter of recommendation to:
Refugees International
1705 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
or email to ri@refintl.org
or fax to 202/828-0819

5. IFES - Summer Internships - Washington, DC
IFES is an international, nonprofit organization that supports the building
of democratic societies. IFES provides targeted technical assistance to strengthen transitional democracies. Founded in 1987 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, IFES has developed and implemented comprehensive, collaborative democracy solutions in more than 120 countries.

Program Description:
The IFES internship program is designed to engage graduate and undergraduate students pursuing a degree in international relations, economics, communications or a related field. The program offers students an insider's view of the realm of international development. Students who participate in this program will develop essential skills that are not attained in the a! cademic world, enabling them to make the transition from academic to professional life.

IFES offers a broad range of internships every summer. An internship can be:
one semester or one year long
paid, work study, or unpaid*
15 to 40 hours per week
a means for employers to recruit a candidate for full-time employment
Summer internships are available in IFES Washington, DC headquarters only.

Responsibilities:
The general duties of an intern include, but are not limited to:
· conducting research
· providing logistical and administrative support on assigned countries/projects
· assisting in the preparation of weekly reports, website updates and other reports
· attending and reporting on internal and external meetings and other discussions about assigned projects
· assisting with program development in conjunction with the needs of the project and the intern's skills
· compiling daily research from academic journals and print media

Qualifications:
· Undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled at an accredited college or university.
· Excellent research and communication skills
· Proficiency with Word and Excel
· Foreign language skills are always preferred.

Applying:
Applications will be accepted online only, through the IFES website. To apply visit our careers website at http://www.ifes.org/intern.html. Then follow the instructions on how to upload your resume and answer prescreening questions. A cover letter is welcome and can be placed in the applicant notes section.

6.AM1090, Seattle’s Progressive Talk, Internship
Do you like politics? Are you interested in radio? Do you like working in a fun and fast paced environment? Can you think on your feet, talk to people, and work well with a team? Well then this is the internship for you! Be part of AM1090, Seattle’s Progressive Talk and work at one of the best stations in Seattle with the promotions department!

AM1090, SEATTLE’S PROGRESSIVE TALK OVERVIEW:
KPTK is challenging the political and social dialogue of Seattle and features programming from Air America, Jones Radio and many more.
The station is owned by CBS-RADIO and is located in Seattle, WA.

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW:
Participants receive valuable experience in these areas:
• Street teaming and street marketing
• Implementing marketing and promotion strategies of a major market radio station
• Website and on-air contesting and organization
• On-site promotion coordination and execution
• Public relations (Press releases, philanthropic organizations, media relations, updating media lists, promotional partnership)
• Insight into major market radio broadcasting, radio production and advertising sales will be presented
• And so much more…
REQUIREMENTS:
• Must be currently enrolled in a college or university and qualify for internship credit during internship (Internship is unpaid)
• A minimum of three month commitment; 10-15 hours per week
• Ability to lift and carry heavy objects (boxes, banners)
• Availability to work evenings, weekends and holidays as required
• Knowledge/familiarity with MS Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, general computer knowledge is important
TO APPLY:
Mail, fax, or email a cover letter and resume to:
AM1090 Promotions Dept.
Attn: Holiday Frank
1000 Dexter Avenue North, Suite 100
Seattle, WA 98109
Fax: 206.805.0932
Email: holiday.frank@cbsradio.com

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Thursday, February 22, 2007

Your Campus Photo For The Day

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Thompson Hall Observatory

Historians Hate Wikipedia

A couple of folks have sent this to me:

A History Department Bans Citing Wikipedia as a Research Source
By NOAM COHEN
New York Times

When half a dozen students in Neil Waters’s Japanese history class at Middlebury College asserted on exams that the Jesuits supported the Shimabara Rebellion in 17th-century Japan, he knew something was wrong. The Jesuits were in “no position to aid a revolution,” he said; the few of them in Japan were in hiding.

He figured out the problem soon enough. The obscure, though incorrect, information was from Wikipedia, the collaborative online encyclopedia, and the students had picked it up cramming for his exam.

Dr. Waters and other professors in the history department had begun noticing about a year ago that students were citing Wikipedia as a source in their papers. When confronted, many would say that their high school teachers had allowed the practice.

But the errors on the Japanese history test last semester were the last straw. At Dr. Waters’s urging, the Middlebury history department notified its students this month that Wikipedia could not be cited in papers or exams, and that students could not “point to Wikipedia or any similar source that may appear in the future to escape the consequences of errors.”

Read the rest here.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Campaign Corps

Just in...

Campaign Corps is a unique grassroots program dedicated to politically empowering young people. Each year, we train talented individuals just out of college at an intense week-long Campaign School, and place them on targeted, progressive Democratic campaigns for the last 3 months of the campaign. On the campaign trail, Campaign Corps participants receive a stipend, free housing and paid travel expenses to and from the campaign. After Election Day, Campaign Corps helps to find participants another job, be it in progressive politics or elsewhere...

Campaign Corps, formerly known as Participation 2000, has been bringing young people into the political process since 1988. We've placed hundreds of staffers on some of the most important political campaigns in the country-providing young activists with the first step into a career dedicated to progressive politics.

Deadline is April 20. Find out more here.

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Andrea Tull '02 Visit Recap

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Yesterday Andrea Tull '02 came back to campus to speak to students about life on the Hill. Her presentations were really interesting, covering everything from her responsibilities as a Legislative Staffer to the impact of the recent elections and what life is like living in DC. Andrea provided a lot of good advice and experience, and reminded students to call on her as a resource should they be interested in Congressional jobs or internships, whether here in Tacoma or in the Beltway. Thanks so much to Andrea for spending time with us.

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One interesting thing Andrea told me: Individuals working for Congress or federal agencies may also have a significant portion of their student loans paid for on top of their salary. Quite a nice benefit. If you want to know more, read about it here.

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Congestion Charge, CCTV, and Red Ken

From Professor Share in London:

I think this should be blogolicious! Just a few thoughts and a pic.

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We often think of the UK as being the West European country most similar to the US in terms of its commitment to liberalism, with a minimal state presence in the economy. Indeed, a variety of data on taxation levels, state spending as a percentage of GDP, and even equality, confirm this common assumption. Nevertheless, recent events in the UK illustrate just how different the political climate is here when compared to the US. This week, for example, the leftist mayor of London (“red” Ken Livingstone, a fierce opponent of prime minister Blair) greatly extended the “congestion zone” requiring drivers entering the downtown area to pay an 8 pound ($16.00) fee. Upon entering the zone drivers’ license plates are photographed by cameras, and drivers must pay the fee via the web or by phone. Though deeply unpopular in greater London, over 80% of those living within the zone don’t own a car, and the funds from the congestion zone are supposedly being invested in improving the mass transit system.

There are exemptions for those driving hybrids or small gas-saving vehicles, as a way of encouraging Britons to buy “green.” The extension of the zone into wealthy West London has been very controversial. Meanwhile, the far more “moderate” Blair government is pushing for a nationwide “road pricing” scheme to tackle congestion (the UK’s roads are the most congested in Europe). Drivers will carry receivers that can be monitored by satellite, and will essentially pay by the mile for the right to drive. The government is threatening to withhold road funds from localities that don’t start planning for a road pricing scheme.

Recently, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, who will likely replace Blair in the next few months, imposed a massive tax on all short-distance airline flights, supposedly to help pay for the reduction of greenhouse gasses. The government has already implemented plans for a national identification card that all citizens will have to carry. This week the government announced that in the future all applicants for passports will have to show up for an interview with the passport office. All these recent examples serve to show that the United States is very unusual in a comparative context. US citizens are loathe to permit state intervention in the economy or in people’s daily lives, but for Europeans (even the traditional ‘liberal” British), the state plays a far more active role.

Of course, there is considerable opposition to the “nanny state” in the UK. The Liberal Democratic party (the third major UK party) has been the chief critic of what it views as the threat to individual liberties entailed by an active state. The Conservatives (now ahead in the polls) have waged a more ambivalent opposition, since on law and order issues, the Tories often support a strong role for the state. For more see http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1408306.ece

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Alums and Those Soon to Be

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Last week I had lunch with two alums and two seniors soon to be loosed into the cold and heartless world. Left to Right: Chris Pohlad, Katie Rose '05, Matt Perry '06, Ryan Dumm. Chris and Ryan have been interning for Adam Smith and Norm Dicks'local offices, respectively, which both said has been a great experience to learn more about Congressional politics and responsibilities at the local, constituent level. Matt works in Smith's office and Katie has been working as a political consultant in town, most recently on several upcoming races for City Council. Matt and Katie got their experience and contacts doing the exact same kind of internships. It's great to see students getting those experiences, and to see how they have paid off for our alums.

Last comment: the picture was taken at Paddy Coyne's, a new Irish restaurant/pub in town that has filled the long-empty space in the old Olympus Hotel on Pacific Avenue (sorry link was broken, before it's fixed now).

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Monday, February 19, 2007

Today! Andrea Tull '02 Talk: The Democratic Majority In Congress

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We've blogged about her in past, now come meet her in person and find out more about life in DC and working in Congress. If you've got any interest in American politics or life after college (and you should!), this is a must-attend event.

Move!

Because not everything is about politics and government:


I like these folks, especially because their dance space is a great old church downtown that the owner rescued from near collapse in order to turn it into a home for a group like this. Check out their website here, go see some dance, and help support a good cause.

Hart Edmonson '08 Recaps Study Abroad in Vienna

Being a fan of travel abroad and pictures, I've pestered students and alums for pictures of where they are or where they've been. Hart Edmonson '08 forwarded these pictures taken during his study abroad in Vienna, a program he very much recommended. Been some place, foreign or domestic, that you want to share? Send that picture along!


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One is me really sweaty, but there is the awesome Duomo in Florence in the Background.

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The other one is a better picture but not as exciting. It is just the Doge's Palace in Venice.

About classes, Vienna offers some nice political science classes. I took an International Organizations, which was not difficult but then again I did have to write a 30 page paper. I also took Post Cold War European Security, which was not easy, but a lot of fun. The office told me that they always offer at least 2 PG type courses. So yeah, Vienna is awesome. The language is a lot of fun to learn, the traveling is great due to Vienna's central location, and it was a fantastic experience.

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Sunday, February 18, 2007

Young and Broke

http://youngandbroke.typepad.com/
An interesting blog about being young, being in debt, and how to get out of the latter while you are still the former. I think a few of our students might know something about this predicament, especially once they've graduated and the student loan bills start coming due. Worth a browse.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Your Friday Roundup of Opportunities

1. Yodio Summer Internship, Bellevue, WA
Clay Loges '68 has offered an internship at Yodio, a new Web 2.0 based online audio publishing service. We've blogged about it before, and it's pretty neat and is attracting attention even in beta mode. He writes "If you have someone in mind, then I ’d be happy to meet with them. I’m probably looking for someone who is outgoing, and they would have an imaginative mind. We are at the stage where we now need to engage the public to help them discover ways to have fun and use Yodio in their lives. A more narrowly focused internship would be to make a study of how Yodio can be used in political campaigns. I think that Yodio may emerge as a personalized message tool in campaigns by 2008."

This is an opportunity to be involved in a web startup from the inside and early in the game. If you are interested, send me (Professor O'Neil) an email.

2. Capital Fellows Programs, CA
The Center administers the Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellowship, Executive Fellowship, Judicial Administration Fellowship, and California Senate Fellows programs. These programs, known collectively as the Capital Fellows Programs, are nationally recognized. The 18 Assembly Fellows, 18 Senate Fellows, 18 Executive Fellows and 10 Judicial Administration Fellows receive an outstanding opportunity to engage in public service and prepare for future careers, while actively contributing to the development and implementation of public policy in California. The ranks of former fellows and associates include a Justice of the California Supreme Court, members of the United States Congress and the State Legislature, a deputy director of the Peace Corps, corporate executives, and local government and community leaders.

Beginning in October, Capital Fellows work for 10-11 months as full-time, paid policy assistants to senior executive branch staff, judicial administration officials, members of the California Assembly and Senate, legislative committees, and other top ranking government officials.
Fellows help draft and analyze legislation, answer constituent inquiries, write speeches, conduct policy briefings, and work with court project development and implementation. Fellows gain first-hand experience in governing the most diverse state in the nation and a sense of personal involvement in the leadership of California society. Fellows receive a monthly stipend of
$1972, health benefits, and 12 units of graduate credit in Public Policy and Administration or Government with tuition and books paid by Sacramento State.

The program is open to anyone who will be at least 20 years of age and a graduate from a university or four-year college by September 1, 2007. No preference is given to type of major or how recently the applicant has graduated. Individuals with advanced degrees and those in mid-career are encouraged to apply.

3. The International Crisis Group - General Advocacy Intern - Washington, DC
The general advocacy internship is geared mostly at current undergraduates, due to the administrative nature of the responsibilities. In order to support Washington's general advocacy work, Crisis Group Washington looks for candidates with previous office and administrative experience. Candidates should posses an interest in tracking Congressional developments (e.g. congressional calendars, legislation, hearings, committee assignments) and media coverage. International experience, language skills, or experience working on the Hill is a plus, but not a necessity. Washington-based interns interact with Crisis Group staff from all over the world and have the opportunity for in-depth learning in particular areas, as well as broad exposure to the DC policy community.

Major responsibilities:

*Support Office Manager in completing administrative tasks;
*Coordinate with field analysts based in or near crisis situations around the world;
*Do research for senior vice president, program directors, and media and advocacy staff;
*Respond to various project assignments from researching office technologies to creating briefings on international movements;
*Track ICG interest areas in media.
Requirements:
*An excellent verbal and written command of English
*Professional office experience
*Experience in an international relations environment/ NGO, desirable but not compulsory
Every internship includes an important core of administrative work, including database management, report distribution and general office support. Other duties include conducting targeted research, attending meetings, seminars, hearings and lectures, and engaging with Washington's NGO community.

Summer - Deadline 1 March
If you wish to apply, please send your CV and cover letter indicating available dates (interns must be able to commit to at least 3 months, but longer is preferred) and hours per week to Jessica Bechir using this application form (http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?action=form&fid=39&l=1). Applications may be distributed to relevant Crisis Group employees for consideration or comment. Due to the volume of intern applications we receive, we ask that you do not make follow-up calls or emails concerning the status of your application. We will make every effort to respond within thirty days after the application closing date.

Please be sure to specify "General Advocacy" internship in the position line on the application form. Those candidates who fail to do so will not be considered.
Please note that our internships are unpaid.


4. Global Exchange - The Africa Program Intern - San Francisco, CA

Duration of 2 to 6 months The Africa Program Intern will help create an amazing Africa Readers, compiling academic, GO, NGO and grassroots data about Tanzania and South Africa by updating existing Readers. Most importantly, you will help coordinate the logistics behind the program development of the Africa Program. Intern will acquire new skills in: outreach and marketing for potential delegates; when needed, make contact with international organizations supporting human rights, social justice and environmental sustainability; learn organizational skills for future administrative management; assist in and help with web maintenance; write letters & program documents as need, among other things. The ideal candidate will have a very deep passion for human rights, African Diaspora and social/economic rights. Your duties may include same responsibilities as applied to Africa Program to assist in the South America program development; hence, multitasking abilities are essential. Multilingual & bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply but not necessary. Your creativity and self-development are essential while a quick and a sharp mind is a plus. This is a strong resume builder and a wonderful opportunity to tap into the non-profit and human rights sector.

5. Congressman John T. Doolittle (R-CA) Internship, Washington D.C.
Congressman John T. Doolittle (R-CA) is currently accepting applications for both paid and unpaid internships in his Washington D.C. office. Internships may begin as early as February 19, 2007.
Duties will include, but are not limited to, answering telephones, constituent services, mail processing, and legislative research support. Candidates should possess excellent written and oral communication skills, strong interpersonal skills as well as an interest in government.

Applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Candace Dodge’s attention via fax at (202) 225-5444 or via email at ca04internship@yahoo.com.

6. On Point Advocacy, Washington DC
Interested in an Internship in Public Affairs and Grassroots Political Outreach?
OnPoint Advocacy (www.onpointadvocacy.com) is an exciting grassroots start-up firm that offers the nation’s most complete array of grassroots services, from nationwide, on the ground support to cutting edge online advocacy services. Our offices are located in Old Town Alexandria and accessible via D.C. Metro.

OnPoint is currently seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Intern to join our team for the next 3-6 months with the potential to join OnPoint full time. We are looking for articulate, motivated and responsible individuals with a strong interest in politics and public affairs. Responsibilities will include grassroots outreach and administrative support in addition to the opportunity to work directly with senior management on various aspects of campaign planning. The hourly compensation is $10.

This is an outstanding opportunity to gain valuable professional experience and industry knowledge. Political Science and Communications majors encouraged to apply!
Please send resume and cover letter outlining your education and political/campaign experience to: jobs@onpointadvocacy.com

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Thursday, February 15, 2007

Jane Cowley '94: The Wisdom of Combined Degrees

A great overview from Jane Cowley '94 on what she's been up to since graduation and how combined graduate degrees can work to your advantage. Thanks so much for the email, Jane!

I am a '94 alum and enjoy reviewing the department's blog. I'd love to pass on some info to department students/alums re: combined JD/MSW programs. After graduating from UPS I used my politics & government/economics background to work with homeless and runaway youths. Politics is a great background for understanding the marginalized and the resource issues they face. After working for 4 years, I knew I wanted to bring more skills to what I was doing, and was considering programs in law, social work, and urban planning. When I found out that a handful of graduate programs offer dual degrees in law and social work, I knew that's what I wanted. I could be a bleeding heart who could kick a** with a combination like that.

I received my dual degree from UConn, and was very impressed with the program. A particularly mind expanding opportunity came through the Institute for the Advancement of Political Social Work. A social work clinic that inspires social workers to become involved in politics. The institute offers a campaign school that breaks down the tools necessary for running, and reflects on why social workers are particulaly well suited to public life. UConn's dual degree info can be found at http://www.law.uconn.edu/academics/jd_msw.html. Info on the Institute for the Advancement of Political Social Work can be found at http://politicalinstitute.uconn.edu/

When in Connecticut I was active in lobbying on the state level and was involved with equal justice issues. I completed my last year of Law School at the University of Montana, and have made Missoula, MT my home since then. After graduation I worked for Montana Legal Services in their domestic violence/child protection area for four years. At this point in my life I'm working as an attorney in private practice, and find the skills I gained in the dual degree program are just as applicable.

If you know of students who might be intersted in a dual degree program, please feel free to pass my contact information along to them.


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Wintergrass

Professor Sousa writes:

I thought the blog might mention the upcoming Wintergrass festival. It’s an interesting event, always! ­I have seen people jamming in a men’s room at the Sheraton. And they weren’t bad at all. These days bluegrass music brings together people from lots of different walks of life, so this turns out to be a kind of multicultural event! There are great bands to see all day long, there’s good jamming all over the place, there are interesting workshops for those interested in bluegrass music and banjo, mandolin, guitar, and fiddle players. There’s a party late Thursday night with some fun bands and dancing; there’s a “Midnight Mandolin” event on Friday featuring Chris Thile and Mike Marshall, who are among the best mando players anywhere. And it’s in downtown Tacoma. Tickets aren’t cheap, but this is a big event on the bluegrass circuit. It’s being held from February 22 through February 25th.

http://www.wintergrass.com

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Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Professor Share, London Town

Professor Share is currently in London leading the ILACA study abroad program, which includes students from UPS and four other colleges from Oregon and Washington.

group-shot,-Windsor-Castle

We’ve had a busy week of orientation at for the ILACA London program. We had a boat tour on the Thames, a trip to the Tower of London, and an excursion to Windsor Castle. Students have heard from a constable about London crime, and we’ve trained students about the ins and outs of London’s magnificent transportation system (which allowed classes to take place despite the worst snowstorm in a decade). We’ve seen Taming of the Shrew and then met with the lead actor (next week we see three plays in four nights).

My own British Politics students are busy reading daily newspapers across the political spectrum, and are watching with interest as Tony Blair’s government falls deeper into crisis. We are also following the upcoming Scottish regional elections that will likely bring to power a nationalist party that has pledged to hold a referendum on Scottish independence. We’ll be in Scotland in two weeks, right in the middle of the electoral campaign (we’ve scheduled a visit to the Scottish parliament). Last week I was invited to a luncheon with Peter Mandelsen, considered one of the architects of the Blair’s new Labour, and currently the European Union Commissioner for Trade. He made a vigorous and articulate defense of globalization, and argued against those in the UK who refuse to embrace the European Union.

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Ashley Lauth '07

Ashley graduated last semester and is out in the thick of things, doing a photo internship with Greenpeace headquaters in Washington DC. She writes that "already I'm knee-deep in what my dad calls 'damn tree-hugger campaigns.' I am assisting with photo assignments, communicating with photographers, and documenting the archives, among other jobs. " Ashley wants to pursue more work in the area of photography.

Ashley's set up a Flickr site where she is posting her own work . Nice pictures. Check it out.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashblauth

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Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Rotary World Peace Fellows

This is an amazing opportunity to do graduate study in comparative politics or international relations through the support of Rotary Centers located in major universities around the world. Application deadline for the 2008-10 Rotary World Peace Fellowship is 1 July 2007; come by or drop us a note if you are interested.

Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution

Rotary World Peace Fellows are graduates of the Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution program. They will be a part of tomorrow’s solution in promoting greater tolerance and cooperation among people worldwide. Rotary World Peace Fellows, who are chosen from a wide variety of countries, can help future leaders advance knowledge and understanding.

Located in eight leading universities around the world, Rotary Centers provide Fellows the chance to study in a master’s level program in conflict resolution, peace studies, international relations, and other related disciplines.

Rotary World Peace Fellows work toward mediation, conflict resolution, and peace where there is war. Understanding where there is disharmony. Food security where there is hunger. Health care where there is disease. Education where there is illiteracy. Conservation where there is environmental degradation, and sustainable economic development where there is poverty.

During their summer break, Rotary World Peace Fellows undertake applied field experience as part of their two-year, master's-level degree program in conflict resolution, peace studies and international relations. Fellows pursue internships, field research and other activities that aid in their professional development. Many Fellows use this opportunity to further their international understanding by exposing themselves to a different region of the world.

Centers:

Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England

University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan

Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina

University of California, Berkeley, California, USA

Read more information about the world-transforming program, and apply now for a chance to make a difference.

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Professor Bonura Shuns Alligator: Vietnam Update

Professor Bonura updates us on his visit to Vietnam:

DSCF0142
I'm standing with Prof. Luu Mihn Van, who is the Vice-Chair of the Department of Political Science at Vietnam National University. The department is only 5 years old, and is situated in an academic context in which courses in Marxist and Leninist Philosophy and Scientific Socialism are required for all students. The establishment of the department actually reflects a lot about the incredible changes currently taking place in the Vietnamese academy as well as serving as an indicator of open efforts at political reform here.

The department is modeled on American political science departments and includes clases in political economy, international relations, political theory, and Ho Chi Minh studies (perhaps the local equivalent of American politics!). Vietnam is going to promulgate a new constitution in the next two years, which judicial reform being the primary concern, and the department will be actively involved in helping draft the new constitution. (Can you tell that I have just spent two full weeks interviewing political scientists?)

On a side note, I met scholar who recently spoke at a conference here on these changes who said during his speech that Vietnam has a "constitution but no constitutionalism." It seems that statements like that at party organized conferences is evidence of a remarkable level of debate regarding Vietnam's future. He actually studies the US constitution and was quick to mention that the opening sentence of the first Vietnamese constitution was based on the opening of the US constitution. His comments above, though, should be of interest to anyone who studied American or comparative politics.

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This was taken in a random bookshop, publishing and translations of international texts has taken off in Vietnam and topics on just about any topic, including books on the great communicator. Specifically, in terms of something that I know a little bit about here, it was very easy for me to find a book on Tran Duc Thao in Vietnamese, he is a famous phenomenologist who was widely published in France in the late 40s, he returned to Vietnam to participate in the revolution, and was part of a group of intellectuals who fought for a democratic revolution. In 1956, however, he was forced to undergo a public "self-criticism," the consequence of a purge of critical intellectuals and journalists. He was not allowed to return to public life until the middle of the 1980s. The book called the "itinerant philosopher" is a collection of his 1956 essays, and could be found in a number of the bookstores outside of VNU.

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This is a picture of me and Quy Thanh just after my presentation on methods of studying religious politics given to the Department of Sociology at VNU.

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The room that I gave the talk in, which a bust of "Uncle Ho" always "keeping watch" or perhaps "listening intently" depending on your point of view.

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A resturant where I met some of the political scientists who have been so generous in giving me a lot of their time, but the restaurant is only of interest given the subject of the next picture.

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What was for dinner, but luckily I am a vegetarian. Alligator: it's what's for dinner --Prof. O'Neil

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Monday, February 12, 2007

Peace Corps on Campus

Student Conference in Beijing: Engaging Asia

HPAIR CONFERENCES 2007 ACADEMIC CONFERENCE
----------------------------------------------------------------
DATES: August 17-20, 2007
LOCATION: Beijing
WEBSITE: http://www.hpair.org/
FINAL APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 15th, 2007

The Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR)
invites you to participate in our annual summer student conference in
Asia.

HPAIR is a partnership between the students and faculty of Harvard
University, offering a sustained academic program and a forum of
exchange to facilitate discussion of the most important economic,
political, and social issues relevant to the Asia-Pacific region.

HPAIR's international conference has emerged as the largest annual
Harvard event in Asia and the largest annual student conference in the
Asia-Pacific region, attracting a wide variety of distinguished speakers
and future leaders as Harvard's student outpost in Asia. Past speakers
at our conferences include former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung,
Singapore President S.R. Nathan, Secretary-General of ASEAN Ong Keng
Yong, and former Japanese Finance Minister Heizo Takanaka.

Both delegates and papers are welcome! Applications for both are online
and located at www.hpair2007.org/apply/

The theme will be Engaging Asia: Discourse and Dialogue
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WORKSHOP TOPICS
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Our HPAIR 2007 workshops will focus on the following six topics:
-Economic Growth in Asia and its Effects on Society
-Comparative Notions of Leadership
-Understanding Security Issues in East Asia
-Inequality and Social Policy in Asia
-Asia's Information Society
-Popular Culture in Asia

In addition, HPAIR Academic Conference will offer delegates
opportunities to participate in field trips, visits to our host schools,
and gala dinner.

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Summer Language Institute UPDATE

Anyone interested in comparative or international relations should seriously consider this:

The United States Department of State and the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) are pleased to announce the availability of scholarships for intensive overseas study in the critical need foreign languages of Arabic, Bangla/Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, and Urdu for Summer 2007.

As part of the National Security Language Initiative (NSLI), a U.S. government interagency effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical need foreign languages, the Department of State Critical Language Scholarships will provide funding for U.S. citizen undergraduate, Master’s and Ph.D. students to participate in beginning, intermediate and/or advanced level summer language programs at American Overseas Research Centers and affiliated partners.

Recipients of these scholarships will be expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period and later apply their critical language skills in their professional careers.

Note: Application details and materials will be available
no later than Friday, February 16, 2007.

2007 PROGRAM INFORMATION

* Arabic
o Beginning in Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisia
o Intermediate in Jordan, Morocco, and Yemen
o Advanced in Morocco and Yemen
* Bangla
o Beginning and Intermediate in Bangladesh
* Bengali
o Intermediate and Advanced in India
* Chinese
o Intermediate in China and Hong Kong
o Advanced in Hong Kong
* Hindi
o Intermediate and Advanced in India
* Korean
o Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced in South Korea
* Persian
o Intermediate and Advanced in Tajikistan*
* Punjabi
o Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced in India
* Russian
o Intermediate and Advanced in Russia
* Turkish
o Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced in Turkey
* Urdu
o Intermediate and Advanced in India

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Sync Me

Just read about this in the most recent issue of The Atlantic (James Fallow's tech column that he used to write for the NYT). FolderShare allows you to link up several computers and sync folders automatically and in the background. So far I've tested it on two machines at home and seems to be easy to set up and allows a good deal of specificity (sync my pictures but not my documents or music, for example). I think it would be really valuable for anyone who does work on a PC in the office and also at home, and finds themselves having to email themselves files when they go from machine to machine. I also like the idea that I can set up a folder to share with a colleague and we can put files there that we would both use. A bit different from Google Docs, in that here it's more about sharing a range of documents as opposed to collaborating on a single file. It's free; a start-up absorbed by Microsoft in best Google fashion. Find it here.

The Machine is Us/ing Us



This is making the rounds of the librarians on campus, and was forwarded to me by Donna Bachman, the political science librarian, as well as Karen Fischer, Library Director. Neat. Thanks for sharing it!

Friday, February 09, 2007

Your Friday Roundup of Opportunities

A ton of stuff from Andrea Tull '02 in DC, who will be on campus on 2/20:

Thought you might be interested in posting these entry-level job positions on Capitol Hill (DC) ideal for recent UPS grads. With the changing of power and all the newly-elected offices, there are a TON and I repeat, A TON, of job opportunities right now in DC, so if someone wants to come to the nation's capitol, this would be a great time b/c there are a ton of spots and since turnover is so high, there is a chance that an entry-level job will lead to a junior- and mid-level policy position in a year or two.

These entry-level jobs are a great stepping stone for anyone that wants to work on policy and putting in a year or two at this level is TOTALLY worth it. Having "Capitol Hill" experience is such a great asset to have on your resume, regardless if you want to work in the public gov't sector or private sector or non-profit work. If any students or recent alums have questions about the job responsibilities of these positions, or skills needed, or advice on interviewing, etc, I would be happy to be a resource. While these job postings came through intra-office email, I'd also recommend intern and jobseekers to visit www.hillzoo.com where you can search for "hill" or "off the hill" jobs and internships and can be searched by preference of Democratic or Republican offices. This site has great listings for non-profits and advocacy groups.

As far as internships, I know that Rep. Adam Smith's and Norm Dicks' local District offices (both in Tacoma) offer unpaid, but rewarding internships that are flexible on the student's schedule (we have students in both offices right now, in fact). If students want to intern out in DC, any of the Washington State's delegation offices (Reps. Inslee, Larsen, McDermott, Reichert, Smith, Dicks, Baird, Hastings, or McMorris) offer internships. Some are paid (our office pays, unsure what other office pay) and some are unpaid. Here is contact info for Norm's and Adam's offices:

Rep. Adam Smith Internships
Tacoma Contact: Matt Perry 253) 896-3775, matt.perry@mail.house.gov (UPS alum!)
DC Contact: Lindsay Scola (202) 225-8901, Lindsay.scola@mail.house.gov

Rep. Norm Dicks Internships
Tacoma Contact: LaTasha Wortham (253) 593-6563, Latasha.wortham@mail.house.gov
DC Contact: Donna Taylor (202) 225-5916, donna.taylor@mail.house.gov

I will also bring job and intern listings with me to campus on Feb 21st!

1. Executive Assistant/ Scheduler - Rep. Allyson Schwartz (PA-13)

Democratic Member of Congress is looking for an energetic, well organized Executive Assistant/ Scheduler for a fast paced Capitol Hill office. Primary responsibilities include managing and planning the Member's DC and District schedules; working with outside organizations and constituent groups to set up both DC and district meetings and events; working with both DC and district staff to ensure Member and staff are prepared for events and meetings attended by the Member; making all travel arrangements; and maintaining Member's records and files. Will work closely with the Chief of Staff - must be detail oriented, flexible and resourceful. Pennsylvanians and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Interested individuals should email cover letter and resume to PA13Feb07resumes@mail.house.gov with EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT in the subject line. Please no phone calls, faxes, or drop-bys.


2. Staff Assistant - Rep. Allyson Schwartz (PA-13)

Pennsylvania Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives seeks highly organized, detail-oriented individual to serve as a Staff Assistant in DC office. Main responsibilities include overseeing and managing the front office, answering the phones, opening and distributing mail, handling tours, and coordinating constituent requests for tours and flags. The staff assistant will also participate in the selection and supervision of interns and maintain all office equipment, including computer server, act as liaison with vendors and provide all technical support. Ideal candidates must have good writing skills, be highly-motivated, able to problem-solve in a fast-paced work environment, and have a good sense of humor. Pennsylvanians and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Interested individuals should email cover letter and resume to PA13Feb07resumes@mail.house.gov with STAFF ASSISTANT in the subject line. Please no phone calls, faxes, or drop-bys.

3. Legislative Correspondent - Rep. Gary Ackerman (NY-05)

Congressman Gary L. Ackerman is seeking a Legislative Correspondent to assist with a busy mail operation, draft correspondence, prepare items for the Congressional Record, produce first drafts of simple press releases, help supervise interns, and assist with the maintenance and updating of the the office IQ database. The ideal candidate will have some Hill or journalism experience, some connection to New York, and a deep appreciation of good deli. An absolute prerequisite, however, is the ability to produce clean copy with short and hard deadlines. The salary is commensurate to the position and a writing test will be required. Email a cover letter, resume, and three writing samples (each under 3 pages) to howard.diamond@mail.house.gov. Please, no calls or drop-ins.

4. Staff Assistant/ Office Manager - Rep. Ben Chandler (KY-06)

Blue Dog House Democrat seeks highly motivated individual to serve as staff assistant/office manager in fast paced environment. This position includes administrative duties, some office financial operations, reception and telephone responsibilities, maintenance and preparation of correspondence and intern program oversight. Excellent organizational and people skills required. Some Hill experience and Kentucky ties preferred. This office is an equal opportunity employer. Please respond to denis.fleming@mail.house.gov or call (202) 225-4706. Resumes and cover letters may be faxed to Denis at (202) 225-2122. Thanks!

5. Scheduler - Rep. Jay Inslee (WA-01)

Democrat office seeks Scheduler for DC office. Must be organized, energetic, and work well with others. Responsibilities include, but not limited to, maintaining the Congressman's schedule in coordination with the COS, making all travel arrangements for the member between DC and the District, hiring and managing interns. We are looking for a candidate who is interested in administrative work for the foreseeable future, and one who does not intend to use this job to move into a legislative position in the future. Please email resumes to Resume.wa01@mail.house.gov, or fax to 202-226-1606.

6. Scheduler - Rep. Nita Lowey (NY-18)

Senior New York Democrat seeks organized, hardworking individual to handle Member's schedule/travel, office management and budget. Position calls for familiarity of office accounting procedures and ability to navigate computers with ease. Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced environment are essential. Capitol Hill and administrative experience strongly preferred. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Please send salary requirements and resume to lowey.opening@mail.house.gov. No calls or drop ins, please.

7. Staff Assistant - Member Unknown

Senior Democratic Member of the Congressional Black Caucus seeks staff assistant for general administrative duties and assignments. In addition to administrative responsibilities, duties will also include assisting with scheduling, handling incoming and outgoing correspondence and attending Congressional events. Knowledge of the Washington, DC metro a plus as events may require travel off of Capitol Hill Campus. Must be a motivated, self-starter who has a reliable means of transportation and can quickly adjust to a fast-paced office with long hours. Please submit cover letter and resume to staffer.resume@yahoo.com .

8. Staff Assistant - Rep. Ric Keller (FL-08)

Congressman Ric Keller (R-FL) seeks Staff Assistant to handle front desk responsibilities. Applicant must have strong writing skills and outgoing personality. Responsibilities include greeting constituents and guests, answering telephones, opening the mail, organizing congressional tours, processing flag requests, maintaining general office organization, and some legislative correspondent duties as needed. Florida ties a plus, but not required. Please fax cover letter and resume to (202) 226-2048 attention Staff Assistant Vacancy. No calls please.

9. Office Manager/Scheduler - Rep. Geoff Davis (KY-04)

Congressman Geoff Davis [R-KY] seeks an organized, detail oriented and motivated Office Manager/Scheduler. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following: handling all scheduling requests for the Member, coordinating Member travel, handling Member's personal correspondence, managing the staff assistant/interns, overseeing tour and flag requests, managing the intern program, and ordering office equipment/supplies. The candidate must have a positive attitude, be a team player and be able to work under pressure. KY ties a plus. The ideal candidate will approach the job by tackling any task assigned with enthusiasm. Please email resumes to Ky04jobs@gmail.com with Office Manager listed in the subject line. No phone calls please.

And some other opportunities:

10. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Internships

Note: Chief of Staff Connie Partoyan is a '91 UPS grad, so we have a direct contact if you have further questons about this position.
The objective of our Internship Program is to help engage young adults in the legislative process. Interns provide important support to a Congressional office, including giving Capitol tours to constituents, answering telephones, researching legislative issues, assisting with casework, media relations, and constituent outreach. In return, an intern has the opportunity to learn about Congress and issues affecting our region and country.

Internship positions are available in our Washington D.C. and district offices in Spokane, Walla Walla and Colville for spring, summer and fall semesters. Students are encouraged to seek school credit for their internship. Please download the internship application from the link below if you are interested in applying for an internship position. Don't hesitate to contact our office if you have any further questions.


11. The Henry L. Stimson Center - Paid Internships - Washington, DC

The Henry L. Stimson Center seeks interns for a professional and educational experience in discovering the way in which non-profit organizations can! contribute to the understanding of issues in international and homela nd security. The Stimson Center offers unique internship opportunities based on the values of education, participation, and hands-on practical knowledge.
Based on the Center's commitment to professional development, expectations for interns are high. In return, interns can expect a challenging environment which will prepare them for full time employment in a professional setting.

Internships at the Stimson Center focus on the areas of research, professional development, and project administration. Internships may include:

* Proofreading, editing, and distributing Stimson publications
* Writing brief summaries of activities in the news
* Helping to maintain the Stimson Center website
* Tracking specific issue areas in the media
* Taking notes in meetings, both on and off-site
* Project coordination
* Working as a team with members of the Stimson staff and other int! erns
* Administrative activities which will contribute to a fuller understanding of how non-profit organizations operate

Applicants are not expected to have specialized expertise, but should be highly motivated and sincere in their desire for an internship that is challenging and professional in nature. Interns can expect close and constant interaction with program staff, including their respective program directors. Under the oversight of the project director, the supervising RA will be asked to prepare an evaluation of the intern's performance at the midpoint and at the close of the internship. The intern will also be expected to evaluate the internship program at the Stimson Center and their individual experience.

The Stimson Center seeks interns for project areas including the following (please click on the links for important information on internships in each project area):

* Cooperative Nonproliferation
* Global Health Security
* Asian Political Economy
* East Asia
* South Asia/Space Security
* Southwest Asia
* Future of Peace Operations
* Domestic Preparedness and Homeland Security
* Security for a New Century Study Group
* Fundraising/Communications

Please note that not all projects hire interns for every cycle, although most do.

Interns will be offered a stipend based on individual circumstances and are expected to work regular hours.

Professional Development

The Stimson Center also hosts a regular professional development series for interns, allowing them the opportunity to interact with Stimson Center management and senior associates; leaders in the public (government agencies, NGOs, other think tanks, graduate universities) and private (defense, consulting firms) sector; and other individuals that will help the intern to expand his/her interests and skill set.

Recently, our interns have gone on to careers in th! e State Department, the Department of Defense, the United Nations, various think tanks, and other organizations. Others have chosen to continue their education at graduate programs, including those at Georgetown, SAIS at Johns Hopkins, etc.

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Thursday, February 08, 2007

Duncan Marsh '85: Leading on the Environment


I've had the pleasure of communicating with Duncan Marsh '85, who has gone on to do impressive things since graduating from our department. For the last fifteen years, he's been primarily in DC. He served at the State Department on the team that negotiated the Kyoto Protocol; after that, he was at the UN Foundation and is now at The Nature Conservancy.

He writes, "If any of that background would appeal to students, I'd be happy to meet with them." So students and alums, if you are in the DC area or plan to be and are interested in environmental issues, strategies and regulations at the national and international level, let me know and I can put you in touch with him. As for the picture above, it was taken at the Biodiversity in European Development Cooperation Conference in Paris this fall; you can read the details here; interesting stuff. We're working on bringing Duncan out to campus, perhaps as soon as this semester.

Thanks, Duncan, for getting in touch and offering to work with students and other alums.

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Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Megan Buscho '06; From Teaching to Think tank

An update from Megan Buscho '06. She also asked after other '06 alums, so if you're out there reading this post, leave Megan a comment and say hi:

Since I left the University of Puget Sound, I have been pretty much working entirely in education reform, in one way or another. I started working for Teach for America in June and was placed in a school in Brooklyn. I loved my fellow teachers and enjoyed a lot of aspects of being a teacher. However, I was placed at a very violent school, and due to several incidents (if you want to know more, email me), I decided it was in my best interest to leave the school. Since Teach for America does not move teachers out of a school, I left teaching altogether.

Currently I am working for New Visions for Public Schools, the largest New York-based education reform non-profit. New Visions for Public Schools works to create and support small public schools in New York. I am working in the Policy department, and I am pretty convinced I have the perfect job! I am working on a number of research projects, from starting Green Markets in our high schools to how we can increase student voice in middle schools. I am also learning a lot about data tools and the New York state and city legislatures.

I know that looking for and landing a non-profit/policy job can be really daunting, and I don't know that I have a lot of advice to give, except to keep looking. I ultimately got this job through my downstairs neighbor. Apparently social capital really does lead to tangible results!

It looks as though this job is going to be a springboard into a Public Policy graduate program, but I don't plan on going back to school for a few years. If anyone wants to know more about my current job, Teach for America, or is just passing through New York I would love to hear from you!

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Boeing Career Foundations Program

From Brian Stewart '07:

Last summer I had the opportunity to intern for The Boeing Company working as a supply chain analyst and procurement agent for the 747 fuselage. The internship was a great opportunity to gain experience and knowledge about general business, plus earn some summer money. The Boeing business internship prides itself on offering its interns the opportunity to do “real work”. My responsibilities included daily management of the production process, payment to the supplier, traveling to the supplier’s locations in Dallas and LA throughout the summer, supplier audits, and of course all the wonderful intern activities Boeing offers. I learned a lot about how to be successful with day-to-day tasks as well as special and long-term projects.

At the end of my internship this past summer, I also had the opportunity to apply for Boeing’s 2-year rotational training program called the Boeing Career Foundations Program (BCFP). I decided to toss my resume in with all of the other applicants, and I was offered an interview and then the job. For the next 2 years I will be working in the Seattle area for The Boeing Company changing jobs every 4 months. This training program allows its participants to learn about 6 different business units. The program is finance in nature and the rotations range from supplier management to contracts to international business. The program allows its participants to explore many areas of the company to help tailor the 2-year experience to his or her interests.

I found myself happy that I pressured myself to research and find an internship the fall of my junior year that would interest me and provide me with future opportunities like the BCFP. I will also be researching MBA and/or JD programs in the next few years.

For people interested in the Boeing business internship or BCFP you can visit the Boeing employment website http://www.boeing.com/employment/index.html. Also feel free to contact me.

Brian Stewart

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Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Summer Institute on Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution

Alliance for Conflict Transformation
Summer Institute on Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution (IPCR)
June 9, 2007 - July 7, 2006
Santa Cruz, Bolivia

The Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT), in partnership with Nur University, is pleased to announce the Summer Institute on Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution (IPCR). IPCR is an intensive 4-week, 6-credit residential program intended to build the capacity of current and future professionals in a variety of fields to make a critical difference in furthering peaceful relations in the world. IPCR will be held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, with travel to La Paz and surrounding communities.

We are currently accepting applications for participation from English speaking professionals, graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in peace and conflict resolution, international affairs, political science, Latin American studies, anthropology, development and related fields.

AT IPCR, students enjoy a supportive learning environment where experiencedtrainers and faculty combine brief lectures, case studies, field trips, role-plays, and simulations, with the experiences of local and international peacebuilding practitioners. IPCR offers a stimulating integration of theory and practice, bringing together innovative academic analysis with practical, hands-on training and skills development. Participants will learn about these topics and more:
* Conflict analysis & assessment
* Conflict resolution and peacebuilding practices
* Cross-sectoral approaches to peacebuilding and conflict resolution (i.e., with development, human rights, etc)
* Post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation
* Skills development in negotiation
* Case studies - community, intra-state and international conflict
* Career opportunities in peacebuilding and conflict resolution

"In addition to gaining a basic understanding of conflict analysis and a set of practical skills applicable to a variety of fields, I truly benefited from having access to real-world practitioners and the exposure to an insider's view of regional conflicts. IPCR is practical, hands-on, and highly recommended for anyone interested in pursuing a professional career in conflict resolution, peacebuilding, or related fields." Michael Pankow, employed at Human Rights Watch

APPLICATION DEADLINE:
* Early-bird Deadline to receive $250 discount ­ March 15, 2007
* Final Deadline ­ April 15, 2007
To see the complete program description, visit the ACT website:

IES Study Abroad: Dublin Peace and Conflict Progam

This was forwarded to me by the folks over at the Study Abroad office, and thought I'd post it since this program looks particularly relevant to PG majors. Deadline is Feb 15 for next fall.






Explore the complex history and challenges of the conflict in Northern Ireland through the IES Dublin Peace and Conflict Program. The program features:
Innovative courses
Field study in Northern Ireland
A Peace Negotiation Simulation

Learn more about the IES Dublin Peace and Conflict program and its
exciting features.

Don't just take our word for it. Read about Bethany Bridges and her experiences on the program last fall.


Applications for the program are due May 1. Apply now!




29 Locations Worldwide - Visit our website for a full listing of IES program locations.

IES Scholarships & Aid - IES commits nearly $2 million in scholarships and financial aid annually. Find out how we can help you study abroad.
Contact Your Personal IES Advisor - Begin planning now for this experience of a lifetime!


Institute for the International Education of Students • www.IESabroad.org

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