By Emily Isaacman, NASFAA Communications Intern

Emily Isaacman is a rising sophomore college student interning in NASFAA's Communications Department for eight weeks this summer as part of The Fund for American Studies' summer intern program. In the blog post below, Emily describes how she developed an interest in policy and journalism, and why she's excited to learn more about the world of postsecondary education. Please join the NASFAA staff in welcoming Emily by leaving a comment for her, below.

I am beyond excited to work for NASFAA as a communications intern this summer! I'm looking forward to sharing updates on the latest developments regarding student aid with you soon, but first, I would like to introduce myself.

I lived in Maryland until I was six years old, at which point my parents decided they were sick of East Coast weather and moved my two younger brothers and me to San Diego, CA. When I'm not working on a writing project, I'm probably doing yoga, reading, dancing, or exploring a new city.

I recently finished my first year at Indiana University, where I have already been fortunate to explore a slew of new ideas and passions. I became captivated by my political science, international relations, and history classes, and I loved writing about student life for my school newspaper and working on in-depth stories for a journalism club. My school also enabled me to attend a foreign policy conference, watch regional Broadway shows, meet a North Korean defector, and much more!

I share this because I want to recognize the tremendous value higher education has awarded me even in such a short period of time. Had it not been for my experiences at school, I would not have had the amazing opportunity to intern here at NASFAA, where I am eager to combine my interests in policy and journalism. In addition to joining the NASFAA communications team this summer, I am also participating in the Institute on Political Journalism through The Fund for American Studies, a nonprofit organization focused on helping young people acquire leadership skills and professional experience.

I will be taking a class on the economics of regulation at George Mason University and will attend several professional development events relating to journalism in Washington. With all of these activities, plus my personal bucket list of events, museums, and activities to explore in D.C. (recommendations welcome!) this is sure to be a summer full of growth and excitement.

I am practically giddy when I think about where the next three years of my undergraduate schooling could take me. Aside from the career benefits of having a degree, I am realizing firsthand the value of being exposed to new ideas through higher education. I admire and appreciate NASFAA's commitment to fighting for every student's ability to take advantage of all that postsecondary education has to offer.

I'm very much looking forward to learning more about student aid policies and communicating with you throughout the summer. Please feel free to leave a comment below or email me at [email protected] to say hello!

Publication Date: 6/7/2018

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