Last two weeks of work

In my last two weeks, I worked on editing the multimedia audio, and media monitoring. I also had the opportunity to staff the last conference for the summer with Jon Brennan, the White House Expert Assistant to President Obama for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, which was hosted on August 6. At this event, Brennan talked about the administration’s new strategy for the war on terror, which includes not longer calling it the “War on Terror.” I also attended an event titled "Harnessing the Spirit of L'Aquila: Improving Agricultural Productivity in Africa." Following the announcement at the G-8 Summit in Italy of a major commitment to global food security, CSIS hosted Dr. Monty Jones from the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa to discuss FARA's work and reforms in African agricultural practice. In describing emerging opportunities for international collaboration in African agricultural development, Dr. Jones emphasized priority areas for win-win U.S.-Africa partnerships.I met with the CSIS CEO, John Hamre, just two days before my last day. He introduced himself and after we talked he told me that he emailed Colin Powell and bragged about me! It felt good to know that he had a good impression of me and the Colin Powell fellows in general. My boss, Andrew Schwartz, was also really impressed and they all seemed to want me to come back and work there after I graduate. On my last day, I worked hard to finish my project, but when I met with my boss he luckily he told me that I did not have to finish it immediately. I met with him for the last time before I left CSIS to begin my fall semester at CCNY, and he had so much praise and good words to say about me. I invited him when he comes to Harlem to come and visit the Colin Powell Center and meet the other Colin Powell fellows. On my last day, I also managed to meet with Roy Levy for coffee. Mr. Levy is one of the Colin Powell alumni who was just recently hired as consultant by the CSIS. I also visited the Brookings Institution, where I listened to panelists speak about Obama’s first six months as president. The panelists talked about whether the stimulus package worked or not. Some thought that it worked, but others thought that it needed more time. There was also the notion that maybe there needs to be a second stimulus package.I returned back to New York on Wednesday, and I am now ready for the fall semester to begin.