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Ms. Katelyn Shorey `10

Hometown: 
Sweden, Maine
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At St. Lawrence

Major: 
Government
Activities: 
Thelmo, Class Council, Pi Sigma Alpha

During the last semester of senior year, I decided to hold off on applying for jobs until I moved to DC. I had interned for a political action committee and the U.S. Senate, but I wasn’t sure if that aspect of politics was the right career path for me. I joined the Partnership for Public Service in September as a fellow on the Government Transformation team and in October I was hired as a Program Associate with the Center for Government Leadership, working to strengthen federal leadership. The Partnership works to revitalize our federal government by inspiring a new generation to serve and by transforming the way government works.

I knew that I wanted to move to DC ever since my Washington Semester at American University. Transforming Communities, a public policy program that addresses the factors that make a community healthy, and how forces at the local, state, and national level are used to create and strengthen community, taught me the importance of grassroots movements and opened my eyes to the importance of good leadership. Because of that amazing semester in DC I returned for two summers and senior fall. I became familiar with the city and gained valuable networking contacts which in effect helped me land my internship and job.

After Graduation

Professional Position: 
Program Associate, Government Transformation, Partnership for Public Service

I currently work on the Excellence in Government Fellows program, a leadership program for federal employees that uses innovative coursework, best practices benchmarking, challenging action-learning projects, executive coaching and government-wide networking to improve their leadership skills. My job responsibilities include collaborating with the Executive Coaches in speaker and benchmark outreach and coordinating program logistics. My newest project is to organize an Innovation Forum, made possible through a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. The forum will help senior leaders across government understand the unique opportunities for, and barriers to, government innovation; identify best practices for promoting a culture of innovation in government; and outline an approach to creating a more innovative government.

Although my professional career has only just begun, my journey to the Partnership started at St. Lawrence. I knew I wanted to work in politics and government, but it was my internships and courses that helped me realize my desire to impact the government through strengthening our leaders.

Even though I wish I had more knowledge on the federal government before I started, my passion for and familiarity with the subject matter started at St. Lawrence. I am constantly thinking on my feet, researching, managing multiple projects, problem-solving and coming up with creative solutions. The writing and public speaking skills that I gained at SLU definitely helped me stand out from other candidates when applying for internships. I would also say that my leadership roles in Thelmo and Class Council improved my ability to work with teams and make informed, thoughtful decisions.

If you are interested in DC or have any questions about internships, Washington Semester, etc please feel free to contact me at Katelyn.shorey@gmail.com