Student lands internship at Woodrow Wilson Center

An Indiana State University junior will spend his summer interning at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Darwin Brack, economics, psychology and mathematics major from Cincinnati, was recently selected for the prestigious internship in Washington D.C.

"It's hard to put into words how excited I am about it," he said.

During his almost three-month internship, Brack will work as a research assistant to as many as three researchers. Part of the research will focus on global environmental economics and the impact of reducing the carbon footprint. He also hopes to work on research connected to the International Monetary Fund. As part of his research, Brack will have access to the Library of Congress.

"Although I'm going to be getting research experience, I hope there are things the scholars teach me about research," he said.

President Woodrow Wilson's idealism and status as a great world leader led to the creation of the center as a memorial to him. The center tries to exemplify Wilson's ideals by putting scholarship at the service of the world's public life. The Wilson Center is a nonpartisan institute that brings scholars to Washington to interact with policymakers through programs and projects.

The Woodrow Wilson Center is under the leadership of former Indiana Congressman Lee Hamilton, with whom the University has negotiated the opportunity to work at the Center for Darwin and others at ISU. Hamilton was a former chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, chair of the Iran-Contra Investigation, and co-chair of the 9/11 Commission and the Iraq Study Group.

"Certainly for Darwin it's going to open up the world in ways that you can't do on campus," said John Conant, chair of Indiana State's economics department. "The engagement aspect brings a whole different level of understanding."

Brack's experience will give him a good foundation for graduate school and beyond, Conant said.
Brack plans to attend graduate school and study behavioral economics.

As part of the internship, Brack will attend hearings on Capitol Hill and participate in programs at the center.

"I plan to take advantage of all the chances I get," he said.

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Headshot-Proofs/Darwin-Brack/DSC9266DarwinBrack/859858075_8PDrc-L.jpg

Contact: John Conant, Indiana State University, economics department chair, at 812-237-2160 or John.Conant@indstate.edu

Writer: Jennifer Sicking, Indiana State University, assistant director of media relations, at 812-237-7972 or Jennifer.Sicking@indstate.edu