This summer, I worked at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a new agency created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis to address consumer financial protection concerns. I worked on a variety of different projects, focusing mainly on new mortgage regulations and on a study of bank overdraft fee policies.

Working at the CFPB was a highly rewarding experience for many reasons. First, I was able to hear the stories of consumers who were suffering as a result of the financial products that they had committed to, which was a constant reminder that much of the work that the bureau was doing, and that I was helping with, had a real impact on real people. Second, because the CFPB is so new, a lot of time and effort was still being put into designing the agency in the best possible way, which was very exciting. Third, the division where I was working (Research, Markets, and Regulations) was staffed with many talented people who have pursued some of the career paths that I am currently considering, and as a result, I received a lot of valuable advice and experience that helped to inform my decisions for after graduation.

Overall, being in DC this summer was an excellent experience, not only because of the CFPB, but also because of the company of other MIT and UVA students, and the many seminars around DC that the program organizes. I definitely learned a lot from my experiences this summer and would recommend the program to anyone interested in bringing their technical training to the policy arena.