A week ago today, I completed a ten-week immersive internship at the Federal Transit Administration as part of the inaugural cohort of the Diversity In Federal Transit Internship Program. In partnership with The Washington Center, I and nine other DFT interns had the unique opportunity to delve into the fascinating world that aides and support our public transportation systems and witness the exceptional work of the various offices at FTA. We also had the privilege of participating in several professional development workshops, site visits, and quarterly meetings, a testament to the rich learning environment at the U.S. Department of Transportation.
I had the privilege of working in the Office of Regional Services at headquarters with the “Small and Mighty” team at TRS. I enjoyed working with my colleagues at TRS and am grateful to have contributed to some of the fantastic work being carried out by such a small team! A special thanks goes out to my host office, Jamie Pfister and Turo Dexter, for being so welcoming and allowing me to use my gifts to support your work in such a short time. To my mentor and sponsor, Monique Ferguson Stewart, I am grateful for the wisdom, exposure, and time spent learning from you! You are one of a kind, and I appreciate that you chose me as your intern this summer!
As I transition from this enriching internship program back to my work at UMBC Transit – Driving Student Success and grad school at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, I am excited to share my experiences with you through a series of short weekly articles, starting from my first day. I invite you to stay tuned as I reflect on the lessons learned, the challenges overcome, and the growth experienced during this transformative journey.
