Kate Thrane '16What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally? I am spending this summer in Washington D.C. working as an intern in Minnesota Congressman Erik Paulsen’s office. I’m learning so much about government and democracy. My responsibilities include answering constituent phone calls, running errands, attending hearings, writing memos, and giving tours of the Capitol. Through my internship, I’ve been able to attend events at the FBI, “The Washington Post,” and the White House. One of my favorite parts is seeing people who are on the news (or in the news) in person!

How did your MPA experience prepare you for your life today? How did MPA help you dream big and do right? My education at MPA gave me a solid foundation in American history, which has helped me immensely during the course of my internship. The seventh grade Washington D.C. trip is one of my fondest memories from MPA, and the things I learned on that trip have also come in handy this summer. My public speaking experience, honed at MPA beginning in kindergarten, has helped me so much when I give Capitol tours and speak to groups of visitors coming through the office.
Additionally, MPA’s encouragement to be curious and explore the world pushed me to study abroad last summer in London where I took classes on European art, literature, and history. I had so many interesting experiences and met so many interesting people from all over the world. I really don’t think I would have had those experiences without an MPA education.

What’s next? Any aspirations–personal or professional–that you’d like to share? I will return to Boston University in the fall as a junior pursuing a journalism degree.

This story is part of a new series called The Year of 100 Stories, launched by the Mounds Park Academy Alumni Association in January 2018. All alumni are warmly invited to tell their story! Email alumni@moundsparkacademy.org for more information.

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