MACON — Mercer University Junior Jason Rother has been awarded a paid internship with the U.S. Department of State. Rother will be posted with the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs in Washington, D.C., for the internship this summer.
“I am very excited about this great opportunity,” said Rother. “Working at the State Department is one of my dream jobs, and I can’t wait to gain experience as an intern there.”
The Paid Student Internship Program is intended to expand opportunities for students in post-secondary degree programs to gain experience and insight into the role of diplomacy in advancing United States foreign policy objectives and be exposed to the variety of careers available at the U.S. Department of State and its diplomatic missions worldwide.
From Columbus, Rother is majoring in international affairs with minors in history and environmental studies. He says he hopes to work for the State Department after he graduates.
“Jason is one of the brightest and most enthusiastic students I have met at Mercer,” said Dr. Phoebe W. Moon, assistant professor in the political science department. “He is not only a creative thinker who can solve problems by thinking outside the box, but also demonstrates endless curiosity in all my classes.”
Dr. Moon went on to say that Rother aspires to become a foreign service officer working for the State Department after graduation. “I believe this internship will undoubtedly serve as a great investment towards the future generation of the U.S. foreign service,” she said.
Students selected for the Paid Student Internship Program will receive pay, housing and transportation to and from their duty stations. The Department of State says the Paid Student Internship Program is part of its continued efforts to recruit a workforce that reflects the diversity of the United States and to ensure a broad and diverse range of perspectives and backgrounds is factored into our foreign policy.
