Name: Rose

Year: Junior

Major: MMSS and Political Science

CFS Concentration: Legal Field Studies

 

I am currently interning at the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for my Legal Field Studies class. I’ve always wanted to intern at a place that is devoted to social justice and I also have an interest in employment law, so I felt this place would be a great starting point for me. I got the internship through a campus career fair in the fall and met one of the supervisors there. As an intern in the enforcement division, I work closely with investigators on cases of employment discrimination under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and several other statues. During my work there I have analyzed evidence, interviewed charging parties and witnesses, drafted investigative plans, and exchanged thoughts with investigators on particular cases. One great thing about doing investigative work is that every case is unique and every individual behind each case is different. I really like the people aspect of the work although it is always important to find a balance between empathy and reason. In the process of analyzing a case, I find I am constantly being challenged and learning at the same time. The work environment at EEOC is pretty independent but supervisors and colleagues are always willing to provide guidance and answer any question I may have. I have definitely learned a lot about important skills for investigators as well as my colleagues’ past experiences through conversations in the office.

I feel that this has been a good learning experience coupled with the CFS class. Since I am in a really small class (7 people), our instructor Monica Llorente asked for our input from the very first class in order to make the experience most meaningful and interesting to us. As a group, we visited Northwestern law school, a legal clinic and law firms, which all provide valuable insight into different aspects of the legal field. These experiences helped me affirm my interest in gaining a legal education and practicing as a lawyer.