What Former POGO Interns Have to Say

While many of my friends could not say so much as "Good morning" to the Congressman they worked for, my work at POGO put me in a meeting with a Senator.  While at POGO, I worked on projects examining contracting issues, financial conflicts of interest, defense procurement, ethics in science, homeland security, oil royalty payment, and strategies for conducting effective oversight.  POGO is also unique in how it allows interns to participate in work that results in tangible results--my research on a financial conflict of interest contributed to the resignation of the person in question.  It was impossible to be bored at POGO.  Beyond the interesting and challenging projects, however, POGO was a fantastic experience because of the funny, smart, engaging people who I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with.  I cannot imagine a better working environment.

Mandy Smithberger, Summer - Fall 2006
Smith College

What happens when you spend ten weeks uncovering disgusting corruption in our government?...You fall in love with POGO.  My summer internship at the Project on Government Oversight was full of challenging tasks, rewarding discoveries, and, my favorite, laughter.  There is a sense of pride here at POGO because such a small organization depends on each other to succeed. You will find friendly, passionate, and extremely intelligent (don’t tell them I said that) individuals who all work tirelessly towards making our government more accountable. At first, I was a little intimidated by the staff and the other interns (who are rock stars in the field of oversight), but at POGO, they tap into your talents and sometimes you even surprise yourself with what you can achieve.  The Project on Government Oversight is fast-paced and widely respected in both the non-profit and political world, and the interns play a vital role in that success. I’m proud to be part of this organization, and when my internship ends, I know it is not the end of my relationship with the POGO family- that is the greatest reward. 

Jessie Pittrizzi, Summer 2006
Wofford College

Going to work everyday at POGO was such a pleasure because I enjoyed what I did, and I loved the people I worked with.  My projects were fun and constructive.  For example, I did in-depth research, helped to write the newsletter, wrote an op-ed, and helped with the blog. During my time in the office, I interacted with all the staff and developed great relationships.  The office atmosphere was fun and dynamic -- spirits were always high. My internship in Washington was amazing – I experienced everything from nearly getting cavity searched in a federal building to playing golf in the hallway.

Steven Locere, Spring 2006
University of California Irvine

My time at POGO was a fantastic summer experience because the staff trusts interns with substantive work and gives them the necessary guidance to succeed. I worked on a relatively new study of the types of tasks being performed by government contractors and enjoyed a great deal of latitude in shaping the project's design-much more than my friends had working on the Hill. The pace at POGO also kept me very busy, with new jobs to do appearing constantly. POGO interns get to work on many different kinds of assignments, from updating the Federal Contractor Misconduct Database to attending Senate hearings to writing blog entries. All this, balanced out by an incredibly relaxed and friendly atmosphere, makes interning at POGO amazingly worthwhile.

Nina Thanawala, Summer 2005
Swarthmore College

My experience with POGO was great: the staff was welcoming and I got some great exposure to the real world; plus, all of my deep-seated suspicions about our government were confirmed. Not a day went by where I didn't learn something new and I always felt like I was contributing in a meaningful way.

Bryan Rahija, Summer 2005
Duke University

Whoever said that a small number of highly motivated people can change the world was right.  And that person probably had POGO in mind when she said so. Before I arrived at POGO, I confess to having wondered how such a small staff could accomplish so much. With the experience of a summer internship under my belt, I now ponder something else:  how POGO maintains that level of productivity in combination with a truly warm and collegial atmosphere. 

At POGO I worked on substantive projects, which took into account my interests.  I tackled a series of projects ranging from helping to write POGO’s quarterly newsletter to drafting the language for POGO.org’s new action center. Some of these tasks were tailored to my particular experience, skills and interests; others required to me stretch and acquire new vocabulary, new knowledge, and new skill sets. 

The famous comic strip POGO was known for its line “We have met the enemy, and they are us.”  I might scramble that and say “I have met a great summer internship, and POGO are they.”

Eleanor Adams Hoffman, Summer 2004
Harvard

From day one, I was deeply engaged in research for an in-depth report on the revolving door. And what's so rewarding about my work is that when the report is published, I know that a lot of the information cited was a result of my research. I also never expected to be involved in so many activities outside of the office – from going to Hearings to nonprofit coalition meetings. Interning at POGO was challenging, entertaining, and unexpectedly enlightening.

Sam Widdoes, Spring 2004
Richmond University

The dynamic at POGO strikes the perfect balance of professional and fun, creating an atmosphere that inspires you to work hard because of the important work that they do and the immediate loyalty you feel to the POGO family. As part of the office, your opinion and comments are taken into consideration and the work you do is valued. From day one, the tasks are substantive, really giving you the sense that your work will make a difference (more than can be said for the critical jobs of opening mail and making coffee that accompany many of the DC internships I'm familiar with). In the end, everything you've learned and witnessed merges to give you first-hand experience of the inner workings of DC.

Rebecca Kleinman, Spring 2004
Cornell University

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