E-Union
5
My name is Rachel Minogue, and I am currently a senior at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. In the fall of 2012 I participated in the IES European Union program in Freiburg, Germany, an experience that profoundly changed my life.
Though I had studied the EU in the past, I knew that, because I wanted to specialize in Europe, I needed to choose a program that would give me an in-depth look at the workings and policies of the European Union. During my time in Freiburg, I took classes on EU foreign and security policy, economic policies relating to the single market, and EU environmental policy. I particularly enjoyed the built-in field study trips. Mostly due to IES, I travelled to nine European countries in the span of four months, with a perfect balance of cultural immersion, sightseeing excursions, and scholarly discussions. I learned more about Europe and the EU during my time with IES than I ever could have studying Europe from afar.
With my IES European Union experience under my belt, I applied for a summer internship with the Delegation of the European Union to the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the Delegation is the diplomatic mission of the European Union that negotiates with the US government in all areas under the EU’s jurisdiction. In many ways, the Delegation functions as an embassy and is the US office of the European External Action Service.
I was chosen as the Domestic Policy Intern for the Political, Security, and Development Section, due to my previous work as an intern for Senator Claire McCaskill. I had a wide variety of duties as an intern. I was primarily responsible for writing briefings on Congressional hearings and think tank events about US and foreign policy. I compiled briefing materials for the Ambassador on US states and their most prominent politicians for his regional travels. I also helped arrange meetings between the Delegation and European Union member state embassies. However, I most enjoyed working with a wide variety of European nationals. I now have a transatlantic professional network in addition to several lifelong friends.
My summer at the Delegation was a particularly exciting time to work for the European Union. In July, Croatia joined the EU as its 28th member state, and the Delegation organized a series of events to celebrate the occasion. In addition to the Delegation’s reception, I was invited to a commemoration at the US Institute of Peace, where the Ambassadors from the EU and Croatia spoke before a flag raising. I was also present during the first round of negotiations between the EU and the US for the new Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or T-TIP. The summer was also extremely eventful on the US policy front. I witnessed, and often covered in my briefings, the National Security Agency leaks, the crisis in Syria, the Egyptian coup, and the Iranian elections, among others. Needless to say, Washington, D.C. is never a boring place to be.
I don’t believe I could have had such a rewarding internship had it not been for IES. I was able to apply my European knowledge in a practical setting while fulfilling my dream of working for the European Union. Living in DC I was also able to reconnect with several of my friends from Freiburg, with whom I know I will be close for the rest of my life.
Rachel Minogue
Alumnus Profile
Rachel Minogue, Fall 2012