New York resident Ethan Grabowski is in his junior year at F&M. He says he chose the College after meeting “the amazing students and the community they create.” He quickly integrated himself into that community, pursuing leadership roles in a variety of areas, including in his College House and music performance. We talked to the government and history major about his summer 2024 internship under the supervision of Lancaster County Commissioner Alice Yoder.

Ethan Grabowski ’26

• Majors: Government and history
• Hometown: Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
• F&M activities: Speaker of the Houses for the Diplomatic Congress, admission tour guide, Brooks House Congress Parliamentarian, Diplomat Leadership Program, bass clarinetist for the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, WFNM radio host

"The internship offered me not just the opportunity to be here for a summer, but to meet many different community leaders in the city and learn more about what makes the county as a whole so special," Ethan Grabowski ’26 said. (Photo by Deb Grove)

Describe your summer experience at the Commissioners’ Office? What was a typical day like?

An average day of my work could be very diverse. It often consisted of me coming into the office between 8:30- 9 a.m. and spending much of the day tagging along with Commissioner Alice Yoder to various government and community meetings. Some of these were just a short elevator ride away, while others required a walk or drive across town. When I wasn't in a meeting, I would be at my desk working on various projects. My main one was a presentation on trends and statistics within Lancaster County Prison. Finally, some time before I left at 5 p.m., the commissioner and I would meet to discuss the projects I was doing that day and what meetings we had on the agenda for the following day. Having a different schedule each day was exciting and was one of my favorite aspects of the job.

What inspired you to take on this particular experience?

I was inspired to work in the Commissioners’ Office for two reasons. The first was because of my passion for public service and the opportunities the work provided for me to learn how to make meaningful contributions to the community. My boss, Alice Yoder, is someone who was motivated to enter politics by her love for helping others, which made her someone I really wanted to work with. The second reason is that I wanted to become better connected with Lancaster. The internship offered me not just the opportunity to be here for a summer, but to meet many different community leaders in the city and learn more about what makes the county as a whole so special. Many more of these opportunities were facilitated by the Ware Institute's Public Service Summer Internship program as well, for which I am beyond grateful.

“From all of this, I learned how to communicate better, be more confident in myself, and to find the joy in conversations — even the smallest ones.”

— Ethan Grabowski ’26

What skills did you learn or practice through this experience?

There are many skills that came into play at my internship. I improved significantly in data analysis, writing and overall professionalism. However, the main skill I developed was communication. I learned that much of public service involves talking to others — to make connections, learn new things and often do both at the same time. My boss emphasized the importance of this, giving me the opportunity to meet and converse with countless people. I also learned that when it comes to talking, the little things matter a lot. For example, I worked on saying the word like less, which I would often say when I got nervous. From all of this, I learned how to communicate better, be more confident in myself, and to find the joy in conversations — even the smallest ones.

What was the most interesting or surprising part about the experience?

I knew going into my internship that I would be doing a lot of work relating to the Lancaster County Prison, but I didn’t know how hands-on it was going to be. I was at the prison for meetings almost every week and had the opportunity to work closely with many different prison officials, including the warden. I also was able to meet and talk with various inmates, which was extremely helpful to the work I was doing. Being able to do all of this, rather than just sitting at a desk for a majority of the day, felt really special and was an incredible learning experience. I owe many thanks to the entire Lancaster County Prison staff and the Commissioners' Office for letting that be possible.

Ethan Grabowski ’26 spent much of his summer internship joining Lancaster County Commissioner Alice Yoder at various government and community meetings.

Why did you choose to attend F&M?

In a lot of ways, F&M was exactly what I was looking for, from its location in Lancaster to its liberal arts curriculum with a strong government program. However, the main thing that led me here was the amazing students and the community they create. When considering F&M, I realized that its students strike a unique balance: They are brilliant, driven, hard-working people, but also prioritize being friendly, welcoming and fun to be around. It is hard to find other students that are more well-rounded than they are, and every day I think of how lucky I am to be part of a community that is both motivating and exciting.

What did you enjoy most about staying in Lancaster this summer?

There’s so much to like about Lancaster, but something that I especially learned to love was the food. With a diverse population and great environment for small businesses, the city has a strong local restaurant scene that I got to explore as I lived off campus. I often treated myself to lunch outside the office, weekend dinners with my roommate in town and plenty of ice cream in the evenings. This doesn’t even include all of the amazing farms and shops in the countryside I was able to discover, which are incredible for local produce.

“F&M was exactly what I was looking for, from its location in Lancaster to its liberal arts curriculum with a strong government program.”

— Ethan Grabowski ’26