Contact: Sammy McDavid
The federal Presidential Management Intern Program is tapping three recent graduates of Mississippi State University's political science department.
Harold R. Atkins of Starkville, Jennifer L. Jordan of Meridian and Andrew Wargo IV of Watson, Ark., all will have jobs in the Washington, D.C., area. They are among some 540 master's- and doctoral-degree graduates from throughout the country chosen this year for PMI.
"The Presidential Management Internship is the most prestigious method for recent graduates to enter federal employment," said Douglas Feig, political science department head. "The program is very competitive and appointments are highly sought."
This year's group of candidates numbered approximately 1,300--each of whom had to be nominated by their college or university before being considered.
Established by President Carter in 1977 and reconstituted by President Reagan in 1982, the intern program seeks to "attract to the federal service outstanding men and women from a variety of academic disciplines who have a clear interest in public service careers."
At May 10 commencement, Atkins and Jordan received master's degrees in public policy and administration; Wargo, a master's in political science.
According to Feig, each of the Mississippi State graduates came away from an April PMI job fair with about 10 job offers to consider.
Wargo left June 9 for his new duties as a program analyst with the Department of the Navy's Trident submarine project. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Wargo III, he holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Mississippi State. While pursuing his master's, he served as president of the Graduate Student Association and completed an internship in the office of United States Sen. Dale Bumpers (D-Ark.).
Atkins begins work July 15 as a budget analyst with the Social Security Administration. Currently working with the City of Starkville--where he also interned--Atkins also holds a bachelor's in political science from Mississippi State. As an undergraduate, he was president of Sigma Nu social fraternity and a member of the university's Pre-Law Society. The son of Connie Atkins, he is a sergeant in the Army National Guard.
Jordan goes to work Aug. 1 as a budget analyst, also with the Navy's Trident nuclear submarine project. The daughter of Becky Jordan, she is a Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College graduate who went on to earn a bachelor's in English at the University of West Alabama. While pursuing her advanced degree at Mississippi State, she was a member of Pi Alpha Alpha public administration honor society and a Graduate Student Association representative. Her graduate internship was with the City of Meridian.