When her father鈥檚 work took her to聽China聽as a child, Kathryn Ruble learned to love international settings聽and new languages.聽She heard of HBU when her father picked up a university pamphlet at a business conference.聽She now double-majors in Government and Criminal Justice.聽Ruble鈥檚聽desire to聽work in international relations聽stirred her to seek opportunities for placements聽abroad聽early in her college tenure.
鈥淚t began my freshman year,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 talked to my grandfather聽and said聽that I would love to do something international. He said, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 you just call up聽the聽State聽Department?鈥� I went to their website, and that鈥檚 how聽I found聽about聽the United States Foreign Service聽Internship Program (USFSIP).鈥�
While the program only accepted sophomore or junior applicants,聽Ruble kept聽the聽idea at the front of her mind. When the application window opened聽the next year,聽she submitted her application, transcript and letters of recommendation. After several weeks, she received an acceptance letter, and then went through the security clearance process.
The program is two-part. The first summer is in Washington, DC, and the next year is in聽an聽assigned country.聽Since Ruble had been to Western Europe but never Eastern Europe, she applied to and was accepted聽for聽her first choice 鈥撀燼n internship in Serbia.
For 10 weeks in the summer of 2016, Ruble worked in the Harry S. Truman Federal Building聽in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.聽The first three weeks were filled with training聽in writing and history. Department of State ambassadors聽and others聽who worked in the聽areas of political, economic, public diplomacy, consular and management concerns spoke.
鈥淭hey would come talk to us and we would ask questions about their work and lives,鈥澛燫uble said. 鈥淥ne hope from the program is that students will eventually pursue a career in聽Foreign聽Service.鈥�
After the training, Ruble worked in the PM office.聽鈥淚t was a lot of paperwork and editing,鈥� Ruble said. 鈥淚 remember people saying that it might not seem glamorous, but it does give you a more in-depth and proper perspective of how government works. There are probably ways it could be more efficient, but it helped me understand that the longer processes are meant to serve as a safeguard.鈥�
When she wasn鈥檛 at work, Ruble explored the city with her three roommates, also fellow interns. Some of the stand-out destinations included the Washington Monument聽and聽Mount Vernon.
鈥淭he experience really got me out of my shell,鈥� Ruble said. 鈥淚 learned how to be more assertive and outgoing.鈥�
The next summer, 2017, Ruble traveled to Belgrade, Serbia, for the second part of her internship聽in the聽US聽Embassy聽in Serbia.聽鈥淭he people I worked with were so fun and welcoming.聽There were still remnants of the Soviet Union era and it was neat to see how the West meets the East.聽It鈥檚 an incredible country,鈥� she said.
Ruble worked as an intern for the political section of the embassy working with the human rights officer. Her duties included researching Serbian laws and making dedicated folders. Although she didn鈥檛 speak Serbian, she picked up some of the language.
Outside of work, Ruble went to city sites, and to聽nearby聽countries including Hungary and Austria.聽鈥淗ere, three hours away is Dallas,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here, it鈥檚 another country.鈥�
Ruble encourages other聽students who聽have聽similar聽interests聽to pursue opportunities.聽 鈥淏eing in an internship is a good way to see if what you want to do is聽really聽what you want to do,鈥� she said.聽鈥淚 would recommend applying聽for as many as they can. Also, really take advantage of the relationships with聽HBU聽professors; they were very helpful to me in the process.鈥�
The experience of realizing a goal, and traveling in a foreign setting, was a great growth聽opportunity, Ruble said.聽鈥淚 think traveling helps in the sense of independence and self-efficacy. I really enjoyed it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 feel blessed with the opportunity,聽and don鈥檛 take it for granted.鈥�