Alumni Insider’s View…U.S. Capital Day 2
by Ying Ting Xie
The second day was the big day of the program. We had three
panels and a networking reception. After the networking reception,
we had our free time for a night out. It was an exhausting day for
me, but I enjoyed it.
The program was very intense and the schedule was very tight. I got
up at 6 in the morning and rushed down to the cafeteria for
breakfast. After breakfast, we left for the Dirksen Senate Office
Building for the first two panels, one for government employment
and the other for diverse employment opportunities panel.
The government panel starts around 9 a.m. and lasted for one and a
half hours. The panel moderator, Edward Geiger, was a former FBI
agent. He briefly introduced himself and other fellow panelists. I
enjoyed the information I got from this panel even though I am not
planning to work in this field. I was always interested in the FBI
and CIA, and hear John Martinez and Edward Geiger’s experiences
helped me understand more insight of those two agencies.
Following the government panel was the diversity of employment in
DC panel. I was expecting to participate in this panel way before I
was accepted into this program. The non-profit field is one that I
want to enter after graduation. Since I had experience working in
non-profit organizations before, I wanted to know more about
different kinds of non-profit organizations in DC. Dawn Tennant
Calabia from Refugees International could not come, but the panel
exceeded my expectation. Everybody introduce their jobs and
organizations/companies/schools, and answered questions from
students. Ryan Randall, an elementary teacher, made the deepest
impression on me. Her speech was so passionate and her beliefs of
being a role model for kids were so strong that it made me want to
cry. I was so moving that my tears were almost bursting out of my
eyes. She's a great person, and an absolutely great teacher. She
has the purest purpose of being a teacher, leading the kids, to
help them grow, be their role model, and be there for them when
they need her. It is very rare for people to have such a pure
incentive for being a teacher, which is one of the most important
jobs in the world! It is a huge responsibility to educate the
future of the world, the next generation! We need people like her
to be the teacher of our future who need proper guidance when they
are growing up. As she was giving her speech, I wrote on my note:"
Ryan, I respect you a lot!" That was an amazing speech!
After the second panel, we went to the Inter-American Development
Bank to gain insight into the organization and the international
employment opportunities they offered. I was as tired as many
fellow students when we got to IDB. I grabbed a cup of coffee, then
sat down and started to take notes. The organization partners with
countries to combat poverty and promote social equity through
programs tailored to local conditions. What they do is very
meaningful. They tried to improve people's living situations
through financing relevant projects! But I was a little bit
disappointed since they don't have positions for marketing major
yet.
Before the Health Care Panel, I didn't think I would enjoy it as
much as I actually did. The panel moderator Laura Cranston
surprised me by bringing up very interesting daily life issues
about health care. We talked about whether it is good for the U.S.
to have universal health care, the counseling waiver form we sign
when we pick up our prescription, and H1N1 flu shot. The discussion
involved all the students and even our Alumni Relation staff, and
the interaction among panelists and attendants was so good that
everybody seemed to really enjoy it and gain a lot from the
discussion. Before this panel, I didn't know the sheet I signed
when I pick up my prescription drugs is a waiver form stating that
I DON'T need counseling. Pharmacists should know it is their
ethical responsibilities to provide counseling to patients about
their prescriptions not turn them away. Anne Lin, Dean and
Professor of School of Pharmacy from College of Notre Dame of
Maryland, said as a pharmacist, even when your colleagues are not
doing the right thing, one should stand up and lead the change to
be more responsible.
The networking reception started at 6 p.m. In order to keep
myself conscious, I filled my stomach with refreshments before I
order the wine. I chatted with Nathaniel Berman before I saw
Mr. Lazar came into the room. He's the Senior Vice President of
American Cancer Society. I asked him about how the organization
raises fund after the panel, and had an idea that it mainly raise
fund through campaigns and events. He introduced to me about the
operation system of the organization, salary level, and how they
corporate with other organization and companies, such as marketing
companies that can help with the marketing and PR for certain
events. He confirmed that the working environment in ACE just like
that in the big corporations, very systematic and structural. This
made me realize that I would enjoy more if I work in a smaller
non-profit. I would prefer more flexibility in an organization
operation system and structure. But still, ACS is a great
organization that helps to increase the awareness of cancer and
provide help to cancer patients, their families, and friends. After
Laura announced the four scholarship winners, I spotted Edward
Geiger talking to two law school students. I was interested in his
FBI experience, I am eager to know more about that. Alumni
who work in intelligent agencies are not like the supermen that
films and TV shows always featured, but real people. They are just
like us, have normal people's experiences. Edward himself is very
interesting too. He's kind of a layback kind of person and embraces
a huge sense of humor. And from our conversation, I can tell he's a
good father too. I still remember his complement:" You are
aggressive and very outgoing (I forgot whether it was outgoing or
funny or interesting, but I think it is outgoing), and you are a
people person. You should join the FBI." (I’m not sure whether
these are the exact words, but something similar) It was a great
enjoyment to talk to Edward. Networking for me is not just
exchanging business information, but also, more importantly,
absorbed different information from job experiences to life
lessons, and even more. Especially in this trip, since the fields
are not my target fields, my focus was to listen and to absorb
different people's life paths, ups and downs, and decision making
process. That was a good networking reception, and it would be
better if more alumni show up.
At the end of the reception, everybody was so exciting about the
free night and started to talk about how we going to have fun in
town. I ended up going swimming with Steve and Sam, then met up
with Andy and Elisa crew for dinner, and grabbed a drink in the
HUDSON with Radha and Abiola after I went back to the hotel.
It was a great day! I felt more and more thankful that i got into
the program and came to DC.
p.s.
I like the city!!!