Inside the beltway

Working as an intern in the Missouri S&T Archives proved to be good preparation for Katy Bloomberg, a 2006 history graduate who now works in Washington, D.C., in the Defense Department as a program analyst at the Commission on Wartime Contracting.

It’s a long way from the basement of Curtis Laws Wilson Library to the Pentagon. But Bloomberg says her experience working in S&T’s archives, where she dug into the history of the campus’s St. Pat’s tradition, prepared her for her work in the federal government.

“My research experience in the archives has come in incredibly handy,” says Bloomberg. The contracting commission, which was created by Congress, is charged with developing recommendations to improve government contracting during war. Bloomberg is a member of a group that is studying sustainability and reconstruction.

Bloomberg’s previous work as a staff assistant for the U.S. House Armed Services Committee also prepared her well for her new position. Prior to joining the contracting commission in January 2011, she worked on briefing materials for congressional hearings on training and travel for the military. She joined the congressional staff in May 2009, after completing her master’s degree in history from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

A native of Jefferson City, Mo., Bloomberg has been interested in politics and the military for much of her life. During her final weeks as a grad student, she worked in the Jefferson City office of former U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, who chaired the Armed Services Committee at that time.

By Andrew Careaga


This story was originally published in Missouri S&T Magazine.
Read additional stories from the Winter 2010 issue.
Learn more about the Commission on Wartime Contracting.