Flags as a Way to Preserve a Global Identity

By Kelli Duncan, Protocol intern


At the beginning of my semester-long internship when my Office of Protocol supervisor, Peter Kirkwood, told me (with much enthusiasm) about the importance of our flag collection here at The International Center, I was pretty sure he was overselling it. I mean, flags are just flags right? I was fairly certain that they existed in order to look nice in pictures and to prompt the removal of hats during the national anthem at baseball games before scarfing down the rest of a hot dog. But with the passing years our world has become a much smaller place due to leaps and bounds in globalization efforts.

Interns Soarin' All My Flags Are Foreign

People always ask me what it’s like to be an intern at The International Center. Reading the description of the internship, I thought I knew what exactly I was going to be doing and I wouldn’t have any problem telling people what my day to day is like. Oh, how I was wrong! The great thing about being the protocol intern is that every day is different. One day we can be setting up flags for a visiting dignitary, and the next may be spent preparing for a cultural workshop and researching the cultural etiquette of another nation. Coming into the office each Monday, I am presented with another week of challenges that put your critical thinking to the test, and it couldn’t be more exhilarating.

Go with the Float!

By Tara Palmer, Floater Intern

To say I’ve enjoyed my time at The International Center so far would be an understatement. As the Floater Intern, I am able to experience each department for two weeks at a time and work with each department head and their current intern.

Tara

My most memorable experience so far was getting the opportunity to guide a group of men from Bangladesh through Indianapolis and their day of meetings throughout the city.

Around the World in a Month

By Eboni Stevens, Protocol Intern


The very first day that I met Peter, I was a little caught off guard. My very first assignment was to memorize the flags of all of the countries represented in the United Nations. I thought for sure he was joking. I was assured he was not. With a very limited (as an understatement) knowledge of flags, my next thought was that this task would be next to impossible to complete before the end of my internship, and I was definitely  going to be the worst intern for the position.

Flags and Formatting: A Busy Week for Protocol

By Marielle Petranoff, Office of Protocol Intern



Well, hello everyone.

Let’s talk about flags.