From fashion exhibits to VIP luncheons, Ozarks senior Olivia Logan had her share of excitement this past summer as an intern for the Clinton Foundation in Little Rock, Ark.
Logan, originally from Hot Springs, Ark., is a psychology major with minors in political science and sociology. She has always been interested in the Clinton Foundation and when she discovered an internship opportunity, she knew it would be a great way to spend her summer.
"I mostly worked for operations and events," Logan explained. "I handled phone calls and scheduling. Many times, I was handling back and forth communication issues during event planning. Of course when big events came up, I would help with set-up and running the events."
Logan was interning in July when the Clinton Presidential Center unveiled its Oscar De La Renta exhibit, featuring fashion designs worn by first ladies Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Nancy Reagan.
Olivia Logan, a senior psychology major from Hot Springs, Ark., served as an intern for the Clinton Foundation this past summer, where she got to meet former president Bill Clinton.
"There were so many celebrities and politicians there," Logan explained. "It was a huge event, and a lot of fun. Barbara Walters was there and Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue-America. Of course, all three of the Clintons were there along with Oscar De La Renta himself."
Although Logan worked mainly behind the scenes for the foundation, she did have the opportunity to speak with several notable people throughout her summer, including the foundation’s namesake, former president Bill Clinton..
"I had the most interaction with President Clinton," Logan said. "On the day of the Oscar De La Renta event, he set aside an hour to have lunch with all the interns to just talk about anything. It was really cool. I mean I had lunch with President Clinton."
In fact, about once a week during her internship Logan participated in special VIP luncheons.
"At least once a week, they would have a scheduled lunch for the interns where we would get to meet some influential person, either in politics or public service. One week we met General Wesley Clark. He talked about his childhood and how he got involved in politics. It was an awesome experience," she said.
Logan also had an interesting moment with Hillary Clinton when they had an impromptu meeting.
"It was the day the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library was being dedicated. We knew that the Clintons would be around that day, but we didn’t expect to see them for a while. I was in my office working, really in my zone, when I felt like someone might be in the room. I look up, and there’s Hillary Clinton. Right there in front of me. She said, ‘Hi, I’m Hillary.’ All I could say was, ‘Yeah, I know. I should be introducing myself to you, not the other way around.’ Hillary laughed and told me not to worry, that she was really informal," Logan said.
While Logan enjoyed getting to meet influential government figures and celebrities, her internship afforded her the opportunity to develop important skills.
"I learned how to work in an extremely high stress environment," she said. "We were coordinating so many important people and events, and things constantly needed to be adjusted. Flights would come in early or be delayed. People would show up unexpectedly. I learned to be flexible and to think on my feet. Those are invaluable skills."
Logan is the first Ozarks student to be accepted as an intern for the Clinton Foundation and encourages other students to follow her lead.
"I would definitely encourage more Ozarks students to consider the Clinton Foundation as an internship opportunity. You are able to make so many connections you never thought you’d make, and there are so many networking opportunities. It will definitely open some professional doors," Logan explained.
Topics: Psychology