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Marcia Saetang is a rising junior at Wesleyan University. She is pursuing a double major in Government and Economics and is working to receive her Certificate in the College of East Asian Studies or International Relations. This summer, she is interning at the US Department of Agricultural Marketing Service.<\/p>\n
What major projects are you working on in your internship? What responsibilities are you most excited about and why? <\/strong> What are you looking forward to in DC \/ where your internship is located? <\/strong> Be yourself. <\/strong> This is one of the most important things I\u2019ve learned as an intern. I\u2019ve met so many people of different backgrounds who all have different areas of expertise. Public service for me was not about figuring out how to fit into the system, but more of understanding how my unique perspective and qualities can help contribute to the conversation. Posted by Nattacha Munakata<\/em><\/p>\n
\nThis summer I\u2019m working at the USDA\u2019s Agricultural Marketing Services agency. Within the Marketing Order and Agreement Division, I\u2019ll be looking into updating new resource materials for our customers and stakeholders. I\u2019ll be recording my voice to accompany an informational PowerPoint presentation that will be publicly accessible online. I think it\u2019d be really neat to figure out how to project my personality through my voice as I explain our regulatory procedures, so I am looking forward to completing that project.
\n When did you realize you wanted to explore public service? <\/strong>
\nIt wasn\u2019t until after high school that I decided to expand my interest in public service. After attending the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, I got a fantastic scope of the STEM field but was driven by my involvement in student leadership and community engagement. With that, I reflected on my own story. Coming from a low-income family in which I was the first to attend college, I realized just how much support I received that allowed me to have the opportunities I had despite facing various obstacles. It was then that I decided look into a career in government, which paved my academic plan at Wesleyan University. Ultimately my curiosity is the reason why I am in DC this summer, and I hope to dive deeper into what public service really looks like.
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\n What are your plans\/ goals after this internship? Are there any goals you want to accomplish this summer? <\/strong>
\nThroughout this summer, I plan to give my 100% in the workplace and I hope to start forming my own professional brand. I\u2019d like to have a better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses, look into what potential careers will best accompany those skills, and hopefully tailor the rest of my future plans to explore those options. Other goals include learning to cook more dishes, memorizing the subway system in DC, and developing lasting relationships with my CAPAL cohort and others.<\/p>\n
\nAs someone who has never stayed in the city before, I\u2019m excited to go to museums, explore the monuments, and attend free events that the city has to offer throughout the summer. There seems to be a million things to do, and I hope to get as many things checked off the bucket list as possible. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the USDA building where I work is right next to the National Mall\u2014I don\u2019t know if it gets any better than that!
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\n What do you do for fun? <\/strong>
\nI love watching kids\u2019 movies in my free time\u2014they\u2019re fun, imaginative, and often teach a valuable lesson. My favorites include Beauty and the Beast, the Toy Story series, and Spirited Away. You can also find me listening to some of the latest rap and hip hop songs in the gym, but in other settings I am a huge fan of romantic R&B. I\u2019m a big adventurer and enjoy the adrenaline rush of doing things like skydiving or even performing on stage, but on the other hand I love to relax. I am always up for caf\u00e9 conversations\u2026 especially if there\u2019s food involved.
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\n Any advice to those who want to apply to the CAPAL program\/ go into public service? <\/strong>
\n Be passionate. <\/strong> I\u2019ve found that being passionate about public service has helped me express my interests better during interviews and to my supervisor. Although I don\u2019t necessarily know the specifics of what I want to do yet, the fact that I\u2019ve voiced my eagerness to engage has really allowed me to connect with people both inside and outside of the CAPAL program.<\/p>\n
\n What has been the most interesting\/ meaningful thin you’ve learned from CAPAL’s Washington Leadership Program so far? Why? <\/strong>
\nI\u2019ve learned about just how diverse our AANHPI community is, and how important it is that we\u2019re educated in the history of each other\u2019s stories. The panelists from the Washington Leadership Program encouraged us to find ways in which we could advocate for awareness not only within the AANHPI community, but for other racial and ethnic groups as well. I was inspired by this because I realized the importance of open discussions and being a good listener, which would be crucial in forming a more cohesive support system for the causes I support.<\/p>\nMeet all of our CAPAL Scholars & Interns\u00a0here.<\/a><\/h3>\n
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Nattacha Munakata is currently a rising sophomore at George Mason University, studying Community Health with a concentration in Clinical Science (Pre-med). On campus, she is Peer Health Advisor, working to raise awareness and educate students on health issues. She is also involved in TEDxGMU and Thai Student Association. Outside, she likes to volunteer for local organizations and events, such as the DC Sakura matsuri and her local FIRST robotics team. During her free time, she likes to watch Netflix dramas and explore new music. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"