“It gave me the chance to make a larger impact”

Internships Present International Economics and Modern Languages Major a Wealth of Opportunities

Published on the Georgia State News Hub

ATLANTA — As she plans her commencement, Atiyah Kennedy finds herself at a crossroads. Again. This time, however, the International Economics and Modern Languages major feels better prepared to venture forward, secure in the knowledge that whatever choice she makes will be well grounded in four years of internship experiences while at Georgia State.

Kennedy and her family lived in Alexandria, Va., until she graduated from high school. Her father, who retired from the military, had been looking for a different, more affordable place to call home. When they moved to Atlanta, he suggested she choose a college in Georgia, specifically, closer to home.

“I didn’t know anything about Georgia State, but I looked into it, saw the many accolades it had received and loved how it was into diversity,” she said.

Kennedy entered the university thinking she’d go into law, but she had no idea where to start.

“Georgia State offers a quiz about different majors to students coming in,” she said. “I took the test and IEML popped up. It sounded so intriguing, and I instantly saw the different pathways I could take with the degree, opening opportunities in law, business, economic development and policy. I decided it was the route I wanted to take.”

After Kennedy began taking classes, she decided to add planning and economic development as her minor and was selected for the Honors College. It didn’t take her long to seek internship experiences and greater engagement on campus.

Her first internship as a first-year student was with state Rep. El-Mahdi Holly (D-Stockbridge).

“I found this legislative internship as I was scrolling on Handshake, (Georgia State’s online jobs portal),” she said. “I wanted to get more experience and learn more about policy and politics. So, I applied, received a call and started with Rep. Holly. I loved the environment, working at the Capitol and working with his chief of staff, and stayed on through COVID.”

The next year, Holly’s chief of staff went to work for Ohio River South, a bipartisan legislative lobbying and advocacy firm focused on the American South. She contacted Kennedy, told her she’d be a great fit at the firm and asked her to complete an application. Kennedy became the first intern with the firm.

“Working for the firm was my first time being really challenged as an intern,” Kennedy said. “While working with Rep. Holly, I learned a lot about communicating with constituents, meeting with other representatives and other duties, but nothing felt outside of my skill set. Ohio River South required a different type of technical skills, such as the ability to interpret and monitor committee meetings and legislation, doing campaign work, writing op-eds and more. The internship offered a wide breadth of what it takes to be behind the scenes in politics. It allowed me to view things from a different angle, to see how things work in other states. The experience was huge for me.”

Kennedy interned at the firm nearly two years.

“I realized this was my first entry in the ‘Big Girl’ world,” she said. “I feel it gave me the chance to make a larger impact. I was able to meet a lot of people doing significant work and developed meaningful relationships.”

While interning, Kennedy met Andre Dickens (M.P.A. ’13), who was then an Atlanta City Council member and is now the mayor of Atlanta. While working on his campaign, Kennedy felt compelled to host a mayoral forum on campus at Georgia State.

“It was an amazing experience to see everything come to fruition. From reaching out to candidates and campaigns to invite them to attend, to seeing over 200 students and local residents in the audience, I felt like I really made an impact,” she said. “This was my passion child — and it was a success.”

The mayoral forum had a lot of ripple effects, according to Kennedy. She connected with Michael Parkerson, vice president for government and community affairs for Georgia State, began an internship in his office a year ago and stayed through commencement.

“I did everything from session work and lobbying on behalf of the university to strategic planning. My role was to help make sure Georgia State’s objectives were achieved, so we worked on things like signing off on bills requiring state funding and working with our federal-level folks as well,” she said.

This internship led to her joining the board of the Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association on behalf of Georgia State.

Kennedy rounded out her internship experience with Comcast in May 2022, doing external and government affairs work. Given the experience and networks she has built, she has opened her future to many opportunities. The difficult part now is making her next choice.

“I’m trying to figure out which path to take when I graduate — that’s the million-dollar question,” she said. “I can come back to Georgia State for a graduate degree and stay with government affairs, stay with Comcast, or I can engage with some of my passions like education and education policy.”

She is studying to be a substitute teacher — to maintain community engagement — and working toward getting a certificate in U.S. education policy.

“I’m exploring my options and feel blessed to have these options,” she said. “I want to stay in Atlanta for a few more years, though. I’ve grown more here than in the first 18 years of my life. There’s something special about Atlanta.”

She also recognizes “how phenomenal everyone at the Andrew Young School is, from top to bottom.”

“Everyone is helpful. I always get emails from Colleen Perry about opportunities for students — from intern to full-time positions. I’ve also developed a relationship with Dean Sally Wallace over the past year or so. She’s an amazing professional with great vision for the college.”

Kennedy is also grateful for her professors in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, where her IEML degree sits. She mentions Joseph Hacker’s class in contemporary planning, which encouraged her to look into urban studies. And Edward Smith, who helped her coordinate and then moderated the mayoral forum at her request.

“Professor Smith and I have maintained a great professional relationship, and he’s always putting me in contact with people he thinks will help me succeed,” she said. “I absolutely love the Andrew Young School. I think it’s the best college at Georgia State. To have so many professors in the real world, practicing what they teach and helping you get out in the world is just amazing.”