Interview with Dartmouth Intern Devon Kurtz at AUK

AUK has welcomed Dartmouth student Devon Kurtz to intern on campus during the Spring, 2018 semester. Devon has worked in the PR and Marketing Department, The Writing Center, and Admissions Department.

Devon is a member of the class of 2020 at Dartmouth College and is studying economics, classical literature, and English. He was an intern for State Senator Donald Humason and was later appointed to the Massachusetts Governor's Statewide Youth Council advising Governor Charlie Baker and other top state officials on the opioid addiction crisis plaguing the state. On Dartmouth's campus, he is a managing editor at The Dartmouth Review, the college's conservative newspaper. He is also a part of the First-Year Student Enrichment Program, a group for first-generation college students.

Upon successful completion of his internship, an interview was conducted to get his feedback on living in Kuwait and working at AUK:

1) Please describe briefly your role at the different departments you worked with during your internship at AUK. And what accomplishments are you most proud of?
My internship was split among Public Relations (PR), the Writing Center (WRC), and Admissions. In PR, I wrote press releases and covered events around campus. In the WRC, I worked as a writing consultant, helping students improve their writing assignments. In Admissions, I did a variety of tasks, but the most valuable was speaking to high school students who were visiting the campus.

2) Your jobs involved interactions with students, professors, and staff members at AUK, how did you find this experience in terms of learning about the people and the culture?
Since most students are from the GCC region, meeting students was the best way to learn about the culture of Kuwait. Staff and professors were helpful in learning about the experiences of ex-patriates living in Kuwait and other Gulf countries. I have made lifelong friends-including students, staff, and professors-during my time here.

3) Was this your first visit to Kuwait? What is your impression of it, and how does it compare to other countries in the Middle East (if visited)?
This was my first time in Kuwait, and I found the country to be quite different from America. Kuwaitis take a unique approach to life and family, and I think that Americans could learn a lot from that; the U.S. privileges the identity of individuals, whereas family retains its place as a significant facet of identity in Kuwait. I have only been to one other country in the Middle East-Lebanon. Kuwait and Lebanon are quite different from one another. American media tends to portray this region as homogenous, but my time here has definitely shown how richly diverse the Middle East is.

4) During your stay in Kuwait, you happened to witness the holy month of Ramadan, one of the most important events of the year for the Arab and Muslim world. How did you find these days in Kuwait?
I was grateful for my opportunity to be here during Ramadan. Fasting was challenging, but it was a humbling experience. The month of Ramadan required me to be carefully disciplined about an area of my life that I typically did not pay as much attention to.

5) In a few days you will be concluding your internship at AUK and in Kuwait, what were the highlights of your visit?
Despite how most people feel about the weather here, the heat and sun was the major pro of this internship. Leaving New England just days after a horrendous snow storm, Kuwait seemed like a paradise. While most of my experience was positive, I found it very difficult to not drink water during Ramadan. With the intense heat, I struggled with this a lot.

6) What experience will you take back home after finishing the internship at AUK?
I think that it will be difficult to be impressed by American malls and shopping centers after seeing The Avenues. The Avenues is a true testament to Kuwait's architectural prowess.

7) What was one thing you would have done if your internship duration was longer?
If I had a few additional weeks, I would have liked to travel around the region more. I would've liked to see Oman, Egypt, and UAE.

8) What are your plans after completing this internship?
This summer I will be back at Dartmouth taking classes and doing research. This autumn, I will be in London to study English Literature at King's College London.

9) Any final comments you'd like to share with us?
I am thankful to have been accepted into the AUK family!