Tag Archives: government
Ben Verdi: Making an IMPACT
Indiana INTERNnet celebrated internship excellence on Feb. 3, 2016, at the 10th Annual IMPACT Awards luncheon. Though the event is over and the winners have been announced, we are continuing to celebrate the nomineesā successes.
These are their stories.
Ben Verdi is a second-year graduate student at Indiana University (Bloomington). He served as a Governorās Public Service summer intern with the Department of Workforce Development.
Indiana INTERNnet: How did you become interested in government work?
Ben Verdi: I got interested in government for the same reasons I was initially interested in public service. I want to lend every skill and talent I’ve been fortunate enough to cultivate back to my community and country at large. Government work appeals to me as a wonderful way to go about making that kind of a difference in people’s lives, but it’s not the only way. People can be involved in public service …
Lessons abound outside of school
In school, I learned about the Revolutionary War, the Pythagorean Theorem and racial injustice from āTo Kill a Mockingbird.ā
All this knowledge is useful in certain settings, but one has to admit there is an array of valuable skills acquired mostly from experiences outside of school.
For example, I had to figure out on my own how to properly manage finances. I recall on more than one occasion rotating Ramen noodles and peanut butter sandwiches for daily meals because I valued the latest video game over nutrition. One thing is for sure, scraping by certainly builds character.
As for professional skills, another example of life education is learning the role of government, especially at the local levels. My initial introduction came in the form of a speeding ticket. As I entered the courtroom as a teenager, I recall being as nervous as a small bird with a hungry-cat neighbor. The …