This past week was a bit of a whirlwind as I moved into my apartment in D.C. and started my internship with the International Student Management Office at the National Defense University in D.C. Although I’ve only had one day, I’m extremely excited about this summer and about my work.
For those of you who don’t know, the National Defense University (NDU) is located within Fort McNair in D.C. and offers elite masters education programs to more advanced personnel within the United States Armed Forces in four different colleges. It’s not at all like a typical university, and neither is the international student program. ISMO isn’t anything like Penn State’s Education Abroad office. Rather, the International Fellows who attend ISMO are advanced military personnel from other countries who have gone through several steps of nomination and review by the State Department and NDU personnel in order to qualify for the training program. They come here to learn not only about advanced military thinking and techniques, but also to immerse themselves in American culture and complete an in-depth study of the United States in order to foster diplomatic relations. As a program assistant in the ISMO, I will help facilitate different aspects of these programs, such as field studies and trips which take them to various parts of the US to get a taste of the broad range of American culture and values (which reminds me a lot of the trips that PLA takes), to interact on a first name basis at various dinners and events which we help run logistically, and be one of the primary faces that the IFs associate with their time in America.
During my first day, I met the other members of the ISMO team and received multiple briefings on ISMO, on the NDU, on the Department of Defense, and on military etiquette. I learned a lot in that first day and I’m excited to see what this summer will bring!
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