It’s time to recruit summer interns for our Pathways Program again. If you’re interested in the mission of the CFPB, read the full posting to learn more and apply. The original deadline was midnight on Monday, December 3. We’ve extended it to Wednesday, December 5.

The Pathways Program is a ten week summer internship program for high potential students. Students assist in a variety of operational and mission-oriented projects. They receive on-the-job training in the technical aspects of the organization’s work. What assignments you get will vary with your interest, knowledge and academic background, along with the needs of the team.

As part of the Pathways Program, you will work directly with a seasoned member of our team and make a major impact on our mission. You’ll execute projects in fields that matters to you: technology, public relations, market research, reporting & analysis, legal/enforcement, or one of various other start-up initiatives.

The recruiting team is committed to finding new, talented individuals to help the CFPB meet its current and future strategic needs. As part of that effort, the Bureau is participating in the Partnership for Public Service’s Student Ambassadors program. We’re pleased to announce our inaugural class of ambassadors: Blythe Kennedy, Vanessa Megaw, Naiema Blachard, and Tommy LaVoy. These ambassadors know what they’re talking about, too: they’re our most recent summer interns!

We asked the student ambassadors to discuss what inspired them to intern at the CFPB and why they were interested in serving as an ambassador after their service. Between now and the time the announcement closes, we’ll share their stories. Today, Vanessa shares her thoughts:

Vanessa Megaw

School: University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Program: Master’s degree in business

I love strategic planning and the development of best practices in mission-focused organizations. As a brand new agency, I thought interning at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would be a perfect opportunity to experience the development of government processes and develop a sense of “cutting edge” administration practices. Once there, I was extremely impressed and inspired by the ubiquitous enthusiasm for creating the “best” government agency model. I also learned a lot about inherent challenges in reaching those goals. I think that the Bureau offers one of the best opportunities in government for an intern. The hands-on opportunities, cross-departmental exposure, and daily thoughtful discussions make for an incredible learning environment. Also, the CFPB mission addresses one of the most controversial and pressing problems in modern-day society, and it is a great opportunity for students to feel like they are helping to improve the situation for the American people. The CFPB deserves interns who are thoughtful, intelligent, and driven to help in the effort to make “better government” a reality.

If you’re interested in being part of our summer internship program, you have until midnight, Wednesday, December 5, to apply. To learn more and apply, check out our full announcement.

Lindsay Bacon is the part of the Talent Acquisition team of the Office of Human Capital at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

This post was updated to reflect the extended application deadline of Wednesday, December 5. Read more and apply!