Monday, July 15, 2024
By:
Dearest gentle reader (if you know, you know), I am finally here. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Collins Munene Kariuki. I call Nairobi, Kenya home. I recently graduated from Pomona College with a Bachelor of Arts in Physics and Computer Science on May 12, 2024, and July 9, 2024, marked the official start date of my internship. Why the delay, you ask? Well, let's just say I'm happy to finally be here and *cough cough* USCIS.
I arrived in DC late on July 6. After a mishap with my luggage and with the gracious help of my roommate, Charles, and my fellow intern, Reidyn, I embarked on the amazing metro ride from the Washington Reagan Airport to the famous Foggy-Bottom GWU station. I spent the days leading up to July 9 acclimating to the time difference, having been on the west coast for most of the year. That Saturday, I walked with some of the interns to visit DC’s monuments like the Lincoln Memorial (or as I call it, the big guy sitting on a chair looking at the big pointy building in front of him), the Washington Monument (the big pointy building), and the White House. As a Kenyan who grew up watching Hollywood movies, I was thrilled to cross these monuments off my bucket list. Later, I visited one of the many museums, though I must say the summer heat in DC makes me want to stay indoors all day. Alright, enough about that. Let's talk about work.
During the week, I was introduced to the gist of my project. I was originally supposed to be a NIST research intern, but now I’m an SPS Program Engagement Summer Intern. It’s a big change from what I was supposed to do, but I am thankful to salvage the rest of my internship (thank you, Dr. de la Puente). To better explain my role, here are some bullet points I added to my resume (I spent almost 35 minutes coming up with these):
- Reviewed and processed over 200 chapter report submissions from SPS chapters across the US, ensuring accurate and up-to-date records in zone-specific Excel sheets for detailed activity reports and data analysis.
- Collaborated with the SPS Council to facilitate the chapter report review process, providing weekly status updates and promoting timely submissions through strategic communication channels, including newsletters and social media.
- Streamlined data management by updating records of chapter advisors, presidents, and treasurers, and preparing comprehensive activity reports for each zone, contributing to the national office’s ability to support and engage SPS chapters effectively.
I am thorough if nothing else. I really appreciate this role because I am directly contributing to the mission of SPS and I’m proud of the work I’m doing.
In closing, I want to thank the rest of the interns for the welcome pizza party they held for me and for introducing me to g-UNO, a different version of UNO I had never played before (but is there really a standard UNO?). Special thanks to Charles for making sure I feel welcome and well-acquainted. Speaking of which, after bouldering with Charles at a close by climbing gym (an amazing experience, though my arms still ache), I got another chance to check off something from my bucket list: I visited Costco. I was amazed to see they sell a whole seasoned rotisserie chicken for $4.99. What in the name of economic loss-leading capitalist realism is going on here? I just know my mum back home in Kenya would love Costco. Goodbye! See you next week.
Collins Kariuki