2024 grad Carolina Amparo enjoys summer internship at the U.S. Embassy in Peru
When Carolina Amparo was considering colleges, she wanted to leave the comfort zone of South Florida, where she was born and raised, and see a completely different part of the country.
Wanting to study political science, Amparo decided on Ashland University largely because of its Ashbrook Scholar Program, a rigorous and top-rated academic program for AU undergraduate students majoring or minoring in political science, political economy or history.
AU helped the spring 2024 political science and international political studies graduate leave her comfort zone even more with a study abroad semester in Japan and internships with the Department of State (DOS) in Washington, D.C., and Peru.
“I’m indebted to the Ashbrook staff, who always supported my academic interests and challenged me to grow as a person,” Amparo said. “Dr. Rene Paddags was a great supervisor. He encouraged me to intern at the DOS and travel abroad.”
On Aug. 10, Amparo completed her most recent internship, a 10-week summer experience in the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru, working with the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) team that manages U.S. assistance and partnerships with the Peruvian police.
“My supervisors are diplomats, and they’ve lived all over the world,” Amparo said eight weeks into her internship. “It’s been insightful to learn from them. I’ve also enjoyed traveling to different parts of Peru to conduct site visits with the office.”
Amparo’s responsibilities included:
- Drafting reports about site visits the INL team made to checkpoints operated by the Peruvian Police or Customs Agency, noting the conditions of the sites and any proposed changes to security equipment or training the INL team planned to offer partner organizations.
- Conducting research on bills concerning the justice sector and transitional criminal organizations (TCOs) being debated in Peru’s Congress.
- Joining the ambassador in meetings with ministers who work closely with the INL, taking notes and providing readouts for embassy staff and the DOS in D.C.
“The U.S. Embassy in Peru cares about Peruvian law enforcement partly because TCOs that operate in Peru often traffic drugs and illegally mined gold to the U.S.,” Amparo said.
When she wasn’t working in the U.S. Embassy, Amparo enjoyed some of the sights of Peru, including a day trip to the Ballestas Islands on Peru’s southern coast, riding dune buggies in the Ica Desert and visiting Puno, a city on Lake Titicaca near the border with Bolivia.
“The view of the snow-caped Andes from the lake was stunning,” she said.
About a year ago, Amparo applied to the U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program online on the DOS website. Because she had already completed two successful internships with the DOS in D.C., assisting embassy and consulate staff throughout Latin American from D.C., Amparo said she had a strong resume and multiple references.
“For anyone interested in working in foreign affairs, I recommend looking up and applying to the Student Internship Program at the DOS or the Virtual Foreign Service Internship Program,” Amparo said. “These internships will allow you to get your foot in the door and network within the federal government. You can then leverage these connections to get more internship opportunities and hopefully full-time work.”
Amparo said Ben Kunkel, director of student programs for the Ashbrook Center, was very helpful to her with applying for internships, filling out job applications and what to expect about living in D.C. He was always available to patiently answer her many questions, she added.
With her Peru internship completed, Amparo said she plans to return to Washington, D.C., to work as a civil servant at the DOS.
“Working in D.C. and abroad has given me a comprehensive understanding of U.S. diplomacy, although I find living abroad more fun,” she said.