Summertime for 2010 Lake Highlands grad Will Pittman? Enjoy the sunshine, see the sights – oh, and meet the Prime Minister of Ireland. Check.
Will has been spending his summer break from studies at Texas A&M working on the Emerald Isle as an intern for Patrick O’Donovan, a member of Ireland’s Dail Eireann. The Dail Eireann is the lower house of parliament, and its 166 elected members are called TDs (Teachta Dalas) or Deputies.
Will was selected for the EUSA internship abroad program after a rigorous application and interview process, then placed based on his interests. He’s a Political Science major with minors in History and Sociology, and he hopes to use his eventual certificate in International Relations to work for the U.S. State Department or other diplomatic agency.
In addition to doing the standard “intern of a politician” tasks, like stuffing envelopes and writing speeches, Will has enjoyed tagging along to business meetings and cocktail parties, meeting major political figures in Ireland. He spent the 4th of July at a party at the residence of the United States Ambassador to Ireland.
Now that his tour of duty is coming to an end, Will is saying goodbye to his new Irish mates and preparing to come back to Lake Highlands. He’s missed his family and his friends, and he has one thing on his mind. When his plane touches down at DFW Saturday, he’s driving straight to Mi Cocina.