J-Term at Sagamore

My school, Covenant Christian High School, offers a January Term or J-Term where juniors
and seniors can go into the “real” world and pursue an internship. I was unsure
of what I wanted to do, but I eventually just settled on the Sagamore Institute
because it sounded fun. Starting out my internship at the Sagamore Institute, I
didn’t quite know what to expect.

The internship soon exceeded my expectations. First off, Sagamore is located in the
Levey Mansion and just spending time in this historic building was an
experience that many people don’t get to pursue often. I learned more during my two weeks at the Sagamore Institute than I learn in the majority of my semester or yearlong classes. Most importantly, I learned a lot about developmental economics, the conditions of poverty, and African economic development. I value this because I am deeply interested in becoming a
Developmental Economist, possibly focusing on African development. My
internship not only allowed me to pursue and learn more about this occupation,
but it also reconfirmed my desire to pursue it. Whether I was learning about
the myriad of issues and causes of poverty or writing my research analysis on
the US-Rwanda Bilateral Investment Treaty, I was continually engaged. It was
also cool to work in the “real” world and actually do something that could be
impactful, instead of arduous memorization of mundane facts.

I also enjoyed interacting with the people that I met during my internship experience.
Whether I was listening to them tell of their adventures in foreign countries
or discussing my research and learning with them, it was a productive and
interesting use of time.

The Sagamore Institute and my internship experience will continue to have profound
impact on my life as it has helped shaped my desire for being a developmental
economist and has my view of development/poverty. As I continue my education in
college and begin my career, my two weeks at Sagamore will stay with me and continue
to shape my perspective on developmental economics; it truly has been a life changing experience.