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Alumnus shares post-graduation experience with undergrads

Written by Larissa M. Robinson

Tuesday, 15 July 2008 07:53 PM

Obtaining an internship while pursuing a college degree can improve students’ skills and is a good way to discover what they want to do in life, alumnus James Rawson said. The 32-year-old spoke to a state and local government class Tuesday in 116 University Hall about his experience as a lobbyist for the Federation of State Medical Boards and his recent acceptance into the Peace Corps to work in Bulgaria. “It’s not so much what you learn but how you apply it, and hands-on training is going to help you,” he said. “It’s a competitive job market and anything you can do to distinguish yourself would be useful.” Rawson said his internship at a Fort Worth law firm during his junior year helped him discover that he liked governmental relations. After earning his bachelor’s degree in 1998, he became the governmental relations manager with the medical association and began lobbying for the group. “I never thought I would like legislation, but I love legislation,” he said. Rawson said students should also consider what classes are important to them. He regrets not “seriously focusing” on a foreign language, he said. “In today’s world the ability to speak across borders is key,” he said. Political science professor Charles Knerr said he thought listening to Rawson’s experience was good for his class. “Peer counseling is the best,” Knerr said. “I’m an old fogy and they don’t listen to me.” It took Rawson a year and a half to gain acceptance into the Peace Corps. He said he applied because he wanted to give back. “You get a different viewpoint when you go out and talk to people from other countries,” he said. Architecture sophomore Natasha Newbrough said she thought Rawson offered good advice. She said a recent class project proved she had chosen the right major. “I wanted to be a radiologist in the beginning, so I did an internship,” she said. “It was completely different from what I thought it would be and I changed my major.” Views: 1991 | E-mail   Be first to comment this article Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6 AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com All right reserved

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 24 September 2008 03:25 PM )

 

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