Carly Ouellet is a second-year graduate student at American University’s School of Public Affairs, studying Public Policy Analysis. Carly’s BPI summer was spent at Virgin Islands National Park, where she developed an updated business and commercial services plan, enabling the park to effectively engage the public on both new and existing visitor service opportunities for external partners.
Carly joined us at the end of the summer to reflect on her experience.
PGI: What initially drew you to this internship?
Carly: I was looking for experience working with a federal agency. My degree program is in public policy, and I’m particularly interested in environmental policy, so something proximate to preservation or conservation was appealing to me. I also felt like this was a good chance to learn some consulting skills in the public sector context.
After receiving an offer, how did you navigate the uncertainties of the project matching process?
I had to be okay with not knowing exactly how things would turn out! I hold the perspective that you can have fun anywhere; you can find value anywhere you are. I definitely wanted to go to the Virgin Islands – that was my first choice, but I was open to being placed elsewhere. Even if I had my second choice, it wouldn’t have been my ideal location, but I knew the project would be really cool and if I was placed there, it was the better fit for my skills. At some point in the application process, we were told that where we place you is based on a close review of you as an applicant and where we think your skills will fit best, so I felt assured in that.
What was it like working with your co-consultant?
For our project, which had a commercial services aspect, it was super helpful to be partnered with someone who had worked in the private sector and had a lot of experience with executive presentations. I was able to bring my public policy lens, which helped us to consider the implications of our recommendations for the local community and things like regulatory compliance. Working with someone who had such complementary skills really contributed to the success of our project.
What did a “typical” week in your life look like during the BPI?
Every week was truly different, but I would say each one had a good mix of working independently, collaborating with my co-consultant, and engaging with park employees and other stakeholders. I really enjoyed exploring both the resources and the culture of the park. It was so beautiful, with a lot of wildlife in a stunning natural landscape, and my co-consultant and I would hike or snorkel after work until sunset a few times a week. It was really cool to experience the Caribbean culture and way of life in the beautiful towns surrounding the park, so I feel like I got to experience a little bit of everything this summer.
What are the most valuable skills you gained or honed?
A few things come to mind. First, I think working on a project with such a short scope was something I hadn’t really done before, so I picked up a lot of project management skills through the experience. I also learned how to better present findings in a way that is digestible for people with a lot of different priorities and things to consider. I think I struggled a bit at first to figure out how I could structure my findings in a way that resonated with people, but I was able to practice that skill over the course of the summer, and I think I got a lot better at doing so. I think that’s something I’ll take away and use in other positions going forward.
How did your internship experience influence your career path? How has the internship set you up for your next career move?
I am grateful that I had the opportunity to explore what it was like to work for a federal agency, and I really enjoyed my time there. I think the experience opened up the world of public sector consulting to me, so that is currently where I’m focusing. The internship gave me an appreciation for how this kind of work can really move priorities forward and I like the idea of getting to work on different issues in lots of different places and contexts.
How did this opportunity serve to build your professional network?
I made a lot of close connections while I was in the internship – with my co-consultant, the cohort, and members of the BMG team. I also had the chance to connect with a few different BPI alumni, and talk about where they ended up and how their pathway from the internship led to where they are now. The BPI alumni community is full of amazing individuals, so I’m really glad to have those connections.
What was the most valuable aspect of being a BPI consultant?
Personally, being in the Virgin Islands and having access to some of the most gorgeous landscapes I’ve ever seen was amazing. Professionally, being a BPI consultant was a big confidence builder for me. Making recommendations based on work that I was really proud of, having my inputs heard and valued, and creating value for park leadership were all new experiences for me. I’m going forward from the summer as a more competent professional who’s more confident in her abilities, and that is so valuable.
What final words of advice or insight would you give to other graduate students interested in this experience?
I would say to anyone who’s on the fence about applying, go ahead and throw your hat in the ring! I wasn’t sure if I would be the right fit, so I was really excited when I received an offer. For anyone who says yes to this opportunity, I’d say come prepared to make friends. I think it’s a really good program for someone that wants to build their network professionally and socially and wants to work in a culture that values both hard work and fun. I would actually recommend coming into the application process and the program with that perspective – it’s a lot of hard work, but a lot of fun, too.