What’s up, everyone! My name is Omar, and I just finished my internship for the Summer 2024 semester with the SUNY Washington Internship Program! Being able to intern in D.C. was genuinely life-changing, and I’m excited to share with you my journey up to this point and my time in Washington D.C!
I completed my undergraduate degree at SUNY New Paltz in 2023, graduating as a Psychology major. I then began a graduate program in Social Justice Educational Studies at SUNY New Paltz, and I expect to graduate in 2025. As someone who is passionate about mental health and social justice, my graduate program has expanded the ways in which I examine how historical injustice contributes to generational trauma, contemporary injustice, and structural inequity, and practice self-reflection. Suffice it to say, I felt nervous, but more than prepared and thrilled to take on DC in the summer!
With some of the experiences I had growing up and the situations I endured, studying in DC, or anywhere abroad, and learning and living in a new city seemed like an exciting, but ambitious and genuinely foreign prospect to me. I still remember emailing the SUNY Brockport staff back in the Spring semester as an undergraduate, in 2022, stumbling upon the opportunity to work in DC and getting excited at the prospect of living out such a fantastic opportunity. I thought “What could be better than doing advocacy work in the nation’s capital?” Due to external circumstances, I couldn’t back then, so when I reapplied for summer 2024 and got in, I was ecstatic. As a graduate student, I felt more prepared, focused and clear about what I wanted to do.
My internship was with the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress, where I served as a research assistant with Kluge Scholars and leadership. At Kluge, I assisted one of the scholars by examining key historical political figures and policies surrounding mental health and substance use in the library manuscript division, then organized, summarized, and curated memos on my analysis. Also, I had the freedom to do my research in the various reading rooms of the library, such as the Law Library, African and Middle-Eastern Library, and Hispanic Library.
It was so enriching to use some of the social-justice frameworks I learned in my graduate program and community work I’ve done at SUNY New Paltz and apply the work of Black activist scholars like James Baldwin and bell hooks to analyze policies and social justice issues to see what changes could be made. Additionally, I also conducted administrative and project management duties with Kluge leadership in preparation for the John W. Kluges Center’s 25th anniversary. I was privileged to have the opportunity to network with other researchers, faculty, and staff as well - who were all incredibly friendly and wanted to see me succeed. Overall, this internship aligned with my future interest in mental health, law, and social change, and I learned a lot of theories but also practical, soft, and hard skills interning at the Library of Congress!
I think when we go somewhere new, some of the first things we’re looking to do is make connections and friends. Transparently, I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to make key connections while in DC and feel a feeling some of you might be familiar with - “FOMO” (fear of missing out). One thing I appreciate about my time in DC is the community I cultivated while I was down there! Whether at my internship at Kluge, during class time on Fridays, or partaking in vast events and happenings throughout the city, I feel like I was able to create a community and friends that I still communicate with now that I am back in New York, which I am so grateful for. Whether it was hitting a restaurant and enjoying some food and silly trivia, going to one of many museums in the DC area, going to a Nationals baseball game, or just taking a stroll through the city at night, I feel I was able to get out of my comfort zone and make some incredible memories that I’ll take with me after this summer.
I also took time out for myself to take care of my mental health by practicing self-care and taking time to explore, connect with nature (there are so many great parks in the area), and journal and reflect on my experiences. Getting out of my comfort zone is what led to my growth and some of the amazing memories I made, so if you are considering joining the program but are just getting through and surviving your day-to-day, I encourage you to try and get out of your comfort zones if you can, even if you have to start small. You deserve to take that chance on yourself - who knows what you’ll accomplish if you do.
After taking some time digging deep into the archives, I feel called back to action at SUNY New Paltz. During my short time in DC, I felt inspired and ready to use what I learned back in the classroom and pour it back into the New Paltz community. I also plan to use this program as a steppingstone into a counseling psychology PhD and a career in law and mental health. I’m excited for what my future holds, and I am grateful for my time in the SUNY Washington Internship Program!