Let me begin by expressing my deepest gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to work with this organization over the past few months. Interning at IPPS has been an enlightening experience, one which has greatly contributed to my time in Prague thus far, and one which I will not soon forget.

I have long considered a career path at a Think Tank, post-graduation, and this internship was great way to experience what life at such an organization is like. I enjoyed seeing how everyone worked and how tasks were completed. It was beneficial to be involved in some of the editing, researching, and designing aspects of ongoing projects. Everyone was really welcoming and friendly, and the location and building were lovely. Overall, I am very pleased with my time with IPPS.

One problem I faced was trying to understand the structure and beliefs of the organization, which I don’t think I grasped fully enough. I know the organization is affiliated with ANO (and ALDE), and founded by PM Andrej Babis, but often was confused as to the political and philosophical direction of IPPS. Perhaps a discussion of these themes at the beginning would have been useful, or even just a diagram of leadership and affiliated bodies, describing how everyone is tied together.

Further, it might have been nice to work with the IPPS employees more. Perhaps “shadowing” their long-term work and on-going projects—this may have solved the issue of having periods where there was nothing to do. Sometimes the delegation of tasks to interns seemed arbitrary, I felt that my strengths were not utilized, as shown on my CV and discussed during my interview prior to the internship.

I really appreciate the effort that went into making the internship a fuller-embodied experience through additional opportunities. The opportunities organized were fantastic. I think it was really nice to plan a trip around the Czech Parliament, which I wish I could have made. Additionally, it was great meeting with Edvard Outrata, who I found to be a fascinating man. It was nice to speak with him about his life experiences and involvement with the organization.

Thank you so much for the great internship opportunity this past semester. I really enjoyed working with you all and hope we can meet again soon!