Tiffanie Smith (’21) Awarded the Susan Warren Rabon Scholarship for Fall 2020 Internship
Tiffanie Smith (’21) has been awarded the Susan Warren Rabon Scholarship for her fall 2020 internship with the NC State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI). Tiffanie is majoring in political science with a concentration in international relations and minoring in psychology. We checked in to congratulate her and ask her about her internship.
What do you do as an NCSBI intern?
I am interning with the North Carolina Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAAC), which works with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in the fight against criminal activity and terrorism. My supervisor assigns me to projects and I assist the agents with whatever they need. I often do research and analysis and present my findings to my supervisors. I also assist with planning. The NCSBI is similar to the FBI, but it is focused on activity in North Carolina. It investigates drug trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling, counter intelligence, cyber security, arson and things like that. ISAAC develops actionable intelligence on immediate and emerging threats and shares it with its first responders, private sector, emergency management, critical infrastructure, and federal, state, local, and tribal partners. It also cooperates with other law enforcement agencies like the Department of Public Safety, the FBI and Homeland Security.
What do you like most about your internship?
The people are great, especially my supervisor, and I really admire the work they do. I have met a lot of interesting people from state and federal agencies and have learned so much about the way different intelligence and law enforcement organizations work together.
What has the Rabon Scholarship meant to you?
My internship is 32 hours a week and has been an excellent pre-professional learning experience, but since it is unpaid, and I am also a fulltime student, the Rabon Scholarship has been essential in helping me offset living expenses this semester.
A 32-hour a week internship is a significant commitment. How have you managed your internship and academic schedule?
This semester has been very demanding, but online classes have actually helped. Due to necessary COVID-19 precautions, my internship has been half in person and half remote work. My supervisor is wonderful and has helped me work my academic commitments into my internship schedule. I think she recognizes how much I value this opportunity and the high degree of integrity, confidentiality and commitment I have brought to my role.
How did your studies help you prepare for this internship?
My political science classes have been very helpful and relevant to the work I am doing in my internship. Some of my favorite classes have been Foreign Policy with Professor Boettcher, Latin American and Caribbean Studies with Professor Griffin and National Security Policy with Professor Mahoney. In all of these classes, the way we researched and analyzed information and the papers I wrote helped me develop important skills for my future career.
Would you encourage others with similar interests to intern at NCSBI?
Yes, absolutely. This experience has exceeded my expectations in every way.
The Susan Warren Rabon Scholarship was established to support students participating in unpaid internships with a state or local governmental agency or public service organization in North Carolina. Rabon (political science ’82) is a distinguished alumna who, through her experiences as a student and in her professional life, has demonstrated the value of community and public service.
