David Omom '01 admits that he is a "regular" at the Office of Career Services. His frequent visits to the Frye Street office -- to research job opportunities and receive career counseling -- have indeed paid off. This past summer, after returning from a year abroad at the London School of Economics, Omom completed his fourth internship, working for the United Way of Androscoggin County as part of the Bates College Ladd Internship Program.

"I did research on the macro level and that gives you a sense of detachment from what happens in the communities around you," said Omom of his previous internship for the South African Futures Exchange in Johannesburg. On choosing to work for the local chapter of the United Way, Omom said, "I knew I wanted to work on the community level and Lewiston/Auburn, of course, is a good place to start."

Omom, a political science and economics double major from Thika, Kenya, primarily focused his eight-week Ladd internship on writing and editing the organization's summer newsletter. He also began an economic research assessment on the impact of the United Way's affiliate agencies on the economy of Androscoggin county. "The economic contribution of nonprofit agencies is often overlooked," explained Omom, whose ongoing, independent research project attempts to redress the oversight.

Though he has accepted a position at Charles River Associates, an international consulting firm, Omom hopes to eventually earn a Ph.D. degree in either economics or business administration. He values his internship experiences for preparing him for life after graduation. "On campus there is so much learning going on inside the classrooms, but my internships offered the opportunity to translate academic experience into real-life scenarios."