Shiv Pujara ’25


Bureau of the Treasury of the Philippines, Philippines

The Treasury of the Philippines is a government organization in the Philippines that is a part of the finance ministry. The role of the organization is to issue bonds, manage the local debt currency market, collect and maintain statistical data on the economy, spread awareness among the people on good financial practices, etc. I worked on a few different projects during my time there as an intern:

• Designed an algorithm to web scrape news articles and assign them with the sentimentality score to gauge the positive vs. negative sentiments in any news cycle. The organization planned to use this information as a part of an investment decision making process;

• Designed and updated the website of the treasury so it is easy to navigate for anyone trying to find particular information or get in touch;

• Wrote a paper about stress testing of government debt in the Philippines using various different algorithmic analysis;

• Attended meetings with the World Bank to analyze the potential economic and human loss in case of natural 
disasters in the Philippines. The World Bank proposed the introduction of disaster relief bonds for the Philippines.

I had been exposed to some of the economic concepts I used during my internship but never knew what their practical implementation might look like. The internship helped me understand the role of economics in the real world and has solidified my intentions to major in the subject. Additionally, I feel prepared to take more advanced economics courses because of the rigorous work I was able to do. I believe this internship has given me the skills to learn quicker than before. I believe this skill is extremely imperative in the rapidly changing world today.

This internship helped me grow socially and professionally as well as academically. Interacting with people from completely different backgrounds who have done very well in their individual fields was a very fulfilling experience. I was able to expand my network into a completely new country. I learned how an office works and the way things need to be done to get work done most effectively. I always wanted to work in the public sector to see how the decisions typically made behind closed doors change the life of ordinary citizens. This internship enabled me to gain the kind of experience I would not have otherwise been able to have.

I would like to thank all the people who made this internship possible, including the friends and family who inspired me; Williams College, who made me feel deserving of such an experience; the Estate of George Mead for this opportunity; and the wonderful ’68 Center for Career Exploration for their guidance. Without their generosity this internship would not have been possible. I am truly grateful and thank you again for all the support.