1. [MR. E. JOHN ROSENWALD PUBLIC AFFAIRS
INTERNSHIP FUND INTERN PROFILE]
Daniel Fox '13 hails from Gig Harbor, WA, where he
graduated from Gig Harbor High School as
valedictorian in 2009. While at Gig Harbor, Daniel
competed on the debate team, skied, and played the
classical guitar. At Dartmouth, he has immersed
himself in his studies, double majoring in History and
Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, and taking Chinese.
He is involved in the Dartmouth Law Journal, serves
as president of the China Care Club, is a member of
Kappa Kappa Kappa, and teaches PE skiing. Daniel
hopes to study law after he graduates and work in
the public sector.
Daniel was funded by The Rockefeller Center for a Spring 2012 Internship, with generous
support from the Mr. E. John Rosenwald ’52 Public Affairs Internship Fund.
Executive Summary from Daniel’s final report:
This spring, thanks to the generosity of the Rockefeller Center and the Mr. John E. Rosenwald
Jr. ’52 Public Affairs Internship Fund, I worked at the Office of Korean Affairs at the U.S.
Department of State. This office is responsible for United States policy on the Korean Peninsula.
It briefs and advises principals on Korea-related issues, deals directly with Republic of Korea
diplomats, formulates policy, and supports the work of the Special Representative for North
Korea Policy. Covering both our fraught relationship with North Korea and our close alliance
with the south, the Korea desk is one of the busiest
“I wrote briefing materials for regional offices at the State Department. As an intern, I
the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, was formally a member of the ROK (Republic of Korea,
and Assistant Secretary for East i.e. South Korea) unit, but in practice I worked on issues
Asia and the Pacific. . . Of all my relating to both the ROK and the DPRK.
experiences, however, the one My duties included researching and writing briefing
that really stands out to me is materials to prepare principals for meetings, updating
dining at the Korean background papers on pertinent topics, taking notes at
ambassador’s residence.” high-level meetings, scheduling events, clearing papers,

2. and working on long-term research projects on a variety of topics. I also had the opportunity to
meet with numerous principals and participate in a number of strategic planning meetings. I
sat in on meetings between Ambassador Davies, the Special Representative for North Korea
Policy, and his counterparts from the ROK, Japan, and Russia. I wrote briefing materials for the
Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Assistant Secretary for East Asia and the Pacific, and if I am
lucky some of my suggestions may snowball into future action and initiatives. Of all my
experiences, however, the one that really stands out to me is dining at the Korean
ambassador’s residence.
The wide variety of work I encountered during my internship has been excellent preparation for
my future endeavors. I gained useful skills in note-taking, research, and time management; I
think the most valuable lesson was about attitude and managing expectations. Looking back, I
expected to receive a fairly high level of responsibility from the get-go, and that simply isn’t
realistic in an organization like the State Department. The true value of an internship like mine,
then, is in the opportunity to simply be in the “nerve center” and to see how decisions are
made and policy is implemented. I learned that the best way to achieve greater levels of
responsibility is to prove your willingness to do whatever is asked, no matter how tedious or
menial. That lesson will serve me well in the future: responsibility is something you earn.
Daniel interning at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC.
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