On the way to The Center for Education Reform’s (CER) offices for my first day, I was completely nervous with a million expectations running through my head. While navigating myself from the metro, I basically jogged to get to the office, only to arrive 40 minutes early. No one wants to be late on his or her first day (or any other day), but I made up things to do in order to waste time, as I didn’t want to arrive too early. Already having checked my phone multiple times, I decided to walk around the floor a bit to look for a restroom to assess my outfit (for a third time that morning). I was doing my best to stay calm, but I was so nervous and slightly hot. Somehow I wasted 20 minutes, and decided to go inside 20 minutes early. Upon entering, the internship coordinator, Tyler, graciously welcomed me as if we had met many times before. I instantly enjoyed the office environment and atmosphere. It’s professional, but has a lot of personality, allowing the space to be very comfortable and welcoming. Tyler gave me a very nice CER folder including everything I needed to be informed about CER and my internship. We had a short but fulfilling conversation covering various topics, and then moved on to a quick tour of the office where I was able to meet everyone. My nerves quickly retired as I was beginning to feel more and more comfortable.
As the morning moved along and I became more acquainted with the office and its employees, I began to realize the position I am in being able to work at CER. I really want this internship, not for the title, but to be a progressive vessel in the movement towards positive education reform. While I have recently graduated from college, I am naturally a life long student and I intend to learn as much as I can during my time at CER. I hope to evolve as a professional and improve my approach to academics. Additionally, I am extremely excited to be introduced to new perspectives on the education system, challenge myself intellectually, and increase my overall knowledge on educational policies and the reform movement as a whole. I am looking forward to building relationships and maximizing my time at CER.
Cynphany Brown, CER Intern