Sean Conlon ‘23GS (@seanaustin96, he/him), a former competitive figure skater and now aspiring political journalist, spent 10 weeks this summer as a White House intern for @cbsnews. The role put Sean right in the thick of the fast-paced D.C. news cycle, attending White House press briefings, supporting reporters with research needs, and successfully pitching and writing his own pieces on the Department of Energy’s support for innovative climate technology research and the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Romania. Besides being an incredible professional opportunity, Sean describes it as a catalyst for personal growth as well. “I tend to be very self-critical, and I think much of that comes from being a competitive figure skater for 12 years...But my biggest takeaway from the internship is to learn to be fully present, not just when it comes to working in an intimidating, grand space such as the White House, but also when it comes to one’s growth in performance." When asked what he'd share with fellow GS'ers looking to pursue internship opportunities, Sean advised: “Don’t fixate on picking and choosing opportunities based on whether you’re over- or underqualified, but do pick and choose when it comes to whether such opportunities actually fit your interests. Essentially, be strategic about how and when you choose to put yourself out there.” Rather than feeling rushed to grab every chance available, Sean said it’s important to remember the value of the journey toward realizing your goals: "There’s no set end-date to get any job you’ve been dreaming about, you know?” 🔗 in bio to read more about Sean and his stories from CBS! #ColumbiaGS #ColumbiaUniversity #journalist #nontraditionalstudent #CBSnews