GREAT DANES TURNED WATCHDOGS The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), often referred to as the “government watchdog,” has been a longstanding partner of Rockefeller College. Over the years, GAO Recruitment Program Manager and Rockefeller advisory board member Deborah Eichhorn, MA ’88 has helped numerous Rockefeller undergraduate and graduate students secure internships and full-time employment with the independent, non-partisan, and fact-based agency. ABOUT GAO Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2021, GAO oversees how the federal government spends its funds and provides Congress with recommendations based on facts that will help improve services, while saving taxpayers money. With projects spanning nearly all fields, including cybersecurity, social security, foreign policy, and public health, GAO is a trusted advisor to Congress. Most recently, GAO has been evaluating the largest response to a national emergency in U.S. history — the $2.6 trillion COVID-19 response legislation — and making recommendations about how to improve its effectiveness in dealing with public health issues and the economy. THE INTERNSHIP Based in Washington, D.C., GAO’s internship program is offered year-round to undergraduate and graduate students. Students can also work at one of the 11 field offices located around the country. “Interns are integrated into their assigned teams and given substantive projects,” said Eichhorn. “More specifically, interns learn how to conduct federal audits and program evaluations, and apply that knowledge as part of a team; assist GAO analysts
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Rockefeller College News Magazine I Fall 2021
in planning and conducting in-depth reviews of executive and legislative branch programs; collect appropriate data, analyze the data, and develop data-based findings and conclusions; and present information both orally and in writing to diverse audiences.” GAO’s prestigious internship program serves as a springboard for future public service leaders. In many instances, high-achieving interns have been able to secure full-time positions following their stints, including Rockefeller College alum Matt Lowney, MPA ’15. Lowney served as a management and program analyst intern at GAO during the third semester of his MPA program. While interning in D.C., Lowney attended classes virtually and returned to UAlbany for his final semester with a job offer in hand. He currently serves as a senior analyst at GAO.
FULL-TIME AT GAO Rockefeller College has a wide network of alums that currently work for GAO, including Lowney, Seraé LaFache-Brazier, BA ’17, MPA ’18, and Shannin O’Neill, BA ’01, MPA ’02. Read more about their experiences at GAO:
