SUMMER 2023 ALUMNI

JOAN FLORES

How would you describe your EP to someone who has never heard of it before?

The St. Albans School of Public Service is a college type experience, based in Washington D.C, that focuses on topics such as politics, law, foreign policy and any other sorts of public service. You will be dorming with around 30 other students and you all live on the same floor with each other; this allows you to deeply interact with each other and create great relationships that will last you beyond the end of SPS. Each day is jam packed with activities ranging from discussing a case study, hearing from a speaker, and going to watch an outside movie late at night. SPS is more than just a public service program, it is a unique experience that will make you discover yourself and others while also allowing yourself to become more independent as you make your own decisions on how to go about the month you will be there.

What is a typical day like during your EP? 

Because SPS is packed with activities everyday, each day is entirely different. Some usual routines are that you would have to wake up early, around 7am or 8am for breakfast, but you can wake up earlier to go outside for a walk, to buy coffee, or to do errands. Once you finish having breakfast, your day will begin and it could vary from going on a bus trip, working on your group project, or having to listen to a speaker, it really is different each day. Each day in SPS is so unique that you will never be bored in terms of having nothing to do as you will always be busy in having to do what’s next.

What was the biggest challenge of your EP?

The biggest challenge I’ve faced while at SPS was doing  the work assigned to me. I say this because the work given was extremely complex and required critical thinking to come up with good solutions and responses. Alongside the heavy workload, some projects were due in little time, around 2 to 3 days after assigned, so it was hard trying to manage the daily schedule, socializing, and doing work. When it came to group assignments, communication was also a difficult aspect as some members would be more collaborative than others, and gathering everyone at the same time to work together was also complicated as well.

What was the biggest reward of your EP? 

My biggest reward that I gained from SPS was making the friends I made and the relationships that I built. I was pessimistic coming into the program that I would have trouble bonding with my peers, but as I experienced daily life with them, I got to have deep connections with certain people. These people who I call my friends were trusting enough to talk about subjects that only close friends would have. I was able to live with, go and explore the city with, and create great memories with these people and I will cherish them for a long time.

What do you wish you had known before you went on your EP?

I wished that I had known that the days at SPS were long and tiring. For most days, it would begin early in the morning and end late in the night. Some days would require you to listen to multiple speakers throughout the day, work on your projects, and make you travel long distances to other locations, all in the same day. Even though some days were exhausting, these days were some of the most memorable and fulfilling. At the end of these sort of days, I would look back and acknowledge that I had learned so much in just one day; whether that was a quote from a speaker, something I had read, or a conversation I had with a peer.

What advice do you have for future SEO scholars who are considering your EP?

If you plan to attend SPS, make sure you really let yourself loose and go and enjoy yourself. Yes, SPS is technically an academic program that will work you dry to the bone, but it is also a program that allows you to create some of the best times of your life. You should work hard, manage your time, and try to create good friends. Go and talk to people you never would have thought you would talk to and don’t be afraid to go outside what makes you uncomfortable. Try to be your authentic self as you will be rewarded the most by doing so. Take notes, ask questions and listen carefully to those who you are impressed with. To sum things up, make sure to take all the opportunities you can while there, and make sure you are able to look back and be happy that you had experienced the St. Albans School of Public Service.