September Alumni Spotlight: Senay Gebremedhin (Wakefield High School)

This month’s Alumni Spotlight shines on Senay Gebremedhin, an Opportunities Plus alum from Wakefield High School.

Senay received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in African Studies from James Madison University. Currently, he is working at a non-profit called World Education Services. 

We spoke to Senay, and here is what he had to say: 

“I found out about LP during my senior year of high school and asked them for help finding an internship. I was placed at the D.C. Mayor’s Office of African Affairs, and that experience shaped my professional path. It was monumental for my professional development.

I was completely new to the internship process, and LP walked me through it all. They sent a resume and cover letter template and helped me fill it out. I would compare that process to career counseling. Being from a family of immigrants, my parents didn’t have much professional experience outside of Ethiopia. Having LP guide me on what to expect and how to handle different situations allowed me to navigate the internship experience with ease. The internship experience taught me about office etiquette, how to ask questions, gave me the confidence to say no to things, and how to accept or reject things – it was well-rounded guidance early in my career. Without LP, I would have struggled with it all.

Interning at the Office of African Affairs was professionally life-changing. My supervisors took a genuine interest in what I wanted to do as an intern and trusted me with many projects and initiatives. I joined staff meetings and was given permission to pursue a wide arrange of opportunities that allowed me to gain leadership skills that summer. I also gained the confidence to present to a large group of people that worked in the city. While in the office, I learned more about office etiquette, drafting professional emails, and representing OAA and the Mayor’s office in the community and with partners. 

I graduated from college in 2009. At that time, the job prospects were horrible following the great recession, and I struggled to find a footing. So I reached out to Dr. Ponichtera, and he allowed me to volunteer at Liberty’s Promise. He told me to use that as another internship experience when I was applying to jobs. He helped me figure out what I needed to pursue and worked with me on my resume. He also helped me strengthen my interview skills, and above all, he was encouraging and supportive!

My advice to younger alumni and youth is to take advantage of internship opportunities, especially Opportunities Plus. Compared to other internships, Opportunities Plus is paid! I earned money while gaining valuable experiences that otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to afford. Internships allow you to build a network and grow your professional experience. I kept in touch with my supervisors at OAA for a very long time, and they were very helpful while I finished college and beyond that. In fact, they connected me to people they knew! An internship allows you to learn things that you wouldn’t learn outside of a professional office environment. Plus, you will look more competitive on any application with an internship experience."