...............................................................................................................................................................

The Value of Practical Experience   By Heidi Haghighi '00 ............................   Heidi Haghighi is a government major at Smith. She is a Health Peer Advisor, a Gold Key Guide and a classroom aide at Sunnyside Day Care Center. Although she worries about finding a job when she graduates, she is certain of the value of an internship program such as Praxis and said so in a recent letter to the editor which appeared in the Money & Business section of The New York Times.

At this time of year, words like "summer" and "graduation" are enough to make any ambitious college student bristle. As the school year draws to a close, many of us are simultaneously tantalized and paralyzed by the buffet of new possibilities that traditionally accompany June. Years of preparation culminate when, during this brief window, opportunity and reality begin to merge. I am fortunate to go to a college that places a weighty premium on preparing me, both personally and professionally, for my future. At Smith College my liberal arts education has emphasized the importance of critical thinking, reasoned action and clear communication. These are the skills that make any career's challenges surmountable. Last summer, Praxis, Smith's new internship funding program, allowed me to put my education to the test. Through Praxis, students are given a one-time stipend to pursue an unpaid internship of their choosing. This initiative couples a strong academic program with practical experience to help insure a student's post-graduate success. If you are the parent of a college student or are a student yourself, the importance of internships has almost certainly been trumpeted to you by the Powers That Be. If you've listened, you'll almost certainly agree. Before I interned, I could not have predicted the extent to which I now share this belief. During my sophomore year I'd taken two law-related classes and was convinced that a career in criminal prosecution was my calling. The obvious choice, it seemed to me, was to begin paving my way toward jurisprudential glory immediately. After considerable time and effort, I secured myself two internships: one in a district attorney's office, the other in the Office of the Attorney General in St. Paul, Minnesota. At the attorney general's office I helped draft a legislative proposal aimed at improving the response of state agencies to victims of domestic violence. It was one of the first steps toward reconstructing statewide practices that are in desperate need of revision. My professors have done much to encourage me to be a creative problem solver, but nothing I'd ever been asked to consider matched the new proportions I was dealing with. At school, my papers were about theoretical problems in hypothetical societies. As long as my arguments were logically consistent, I was free to employ any strategies or resources I felt were necessary in solving the conundrums of the classroom. And then I reentered the "real world." Writing the legislative proposal was a collaborative effort; "my way" gave way to "our way" as we struggled to find workable solutions for very real problems. Our plan had to bridge wide philosophical gaps among many agencies, meet the needs of a broad spectrum of clients and work within the constraints of a tight budget. I was challenged to find resourceful, innovative ways of synthesizing and analyzing information to determine what policy changes would be most beneficial. It also enabled me to polish the research and writing skills I have worked to develop at school. Finalizing the proposal demanded extraordinary creativity and flexibility from each one of us. In the district attorney's office I worked extensively with victims of crimes ranging from criminal sexual conduct to petty theft. My job was to help make the legal system--which can be an intimidating, scary place for crime victims-more manageable. I talked to victims about their rights and options, accompanied them to court and, perhaps most importantly, listened when they needed someone to talk to about what they had experienced and how they were feeling. Being immersed in the criminal justice system gave me a perspective that the classroom could not. As a student I've learned about the theoretical principles upon which our legal system is built. As an intern I was acquainted with the procedures that keep it running. In a courtroom, the application of concepts like due process and the presumption of innocence were illustrated daily. Judges were careful to ensure that defendants understood the charges they faced, and juries were painstakingly instructed that a guilty verdict could only be handed down if the state proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Although learning about the judicial process was certainly helpful, two other aspects of this experience proved to be even more valuable to me. The resilience and courage of some of the victims I worked with were both an inspiration and an incentive for me to invest myself in my work. Many put forth an extraordinary effort to come to and cooperate with the legal system. It was crucially important that I have the training, information and understanding necessary to make the system as accessible and comfortable as possible. Finally, the professionalism and commitment of those with whom I worked impressed me tremendously. Working with and learning from such dedicated individuals taught me much about the kind of employee I want to be. It may come as a surprise that I ultimately decided I am not committed to practicing law. The legal system, by its very nature, is reactive. Usually by the time people end up there, something has already gone terribly wrong for them. I tend to be more proactive. Accordingly, I am now enrolled in two education classes. I spent the fall months working in a preschool classroom and have applied to teach at a secondary school this summer. In many ways, my internships were the catalyst for this change of course. I now have a greater appreciation for my own strengths and abilities, and am confident that I can meet and exceed the demands that drive today's businesses and institutions. Sure, none of this guarantees that I will have a stress-free spring. I, like most of my friends, will undoubtedly be anxious amid the plethora of job-postings and reams of résumés that are proliferating wildly. But I have reaped tremendous benefits by testing myself in real time, on real terms. I am certain that by June my preparation will also profit my employer.

..............................................................................................................................................................

NewsSmith is published by the Smith College Office of College Relations for alumnae, staff, students and friends.
Copyright © 1998, Smith College. Portions of this publication may be reproduced with the permission of the Office
of College Relations, Garrison Hall, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts 01063. Last update: 4/26/99.

Made with Macintosh