NAMPA, Idaho – Most college athletes take summers off – laying in the sun, camping, going on vacation and generally trying to get away from the daily grind of school and sports.

This past summer was a bit different for Northwest Nazarene University senior Colette Gall, however.

Gall worked for the United States Embassy in the Dominican Republic, balancing a full-time job with working out and trying to stay sharp with her basketball skills.

"It was fun, exciting and scary all at the same time," said Gall, who is a co-captain on this year's women's basketball team. "Experiencing a new culture and not being able to communicate … I had never gone to another country by myself."

The Nighthawks open their season at 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 1 against cross-county rival College of Idaho in an exhibition contest at Johnson Sports Center.

Gall, who is majoring in political science and minoring in Spanish and global business, spent 10 weeks interning with the U.S. Embassy. Her dad found the internship program, and helped Colette apply.

She had to get a security clearance to get the job, passing a background check, an interview with an FBI agent and a fingerprint process.

"There were times in the Dominican that were really challenging," she said. "The language, my job, what not to do, and the culture – what was acceptable and what wasn't. It really strengthened my ability to be able to work through things."

Having to learn how to get through the ups and downs of life is what Gall and her coach, Steve Steele, expect her to take away the most from her summer experience.

"She is just a really mature person in general," Steele said. "I think she is a very thoughtful leader. I think it has really hit her that this is her last season and you see the extra work she is putting in outside of practice on her own. I've been impressed with her maturity.

"Probably going away for the summer has a lot to do with that – being in another country on her own."

Finding time to play basketball was difficult with her busy schedule. There was an outdoor court where she worked and she played by herself periodically. She worked on conditioning by playing soccer with Marines stationed at the Embassy.

"Coco was working a full-time job in another country and working on her basketball stuff," Steele said, "which was probably harder for her than anyone else to work on her game. I'm really impressed with that."

Gall worked in the consular section of the embassy, doing background check work for visas. She worked mainly on children's cases as well as doing referrals for the many professional baseball players that come from the small island nation.

"The best part was just being around the people and experiencing their culture," she said. "Also, it was exciting to go to the U.S. Embassy and feel like I was helping our country."

While no one in her family has a history in government work, Gall hopes to change that.

"I've been going back and forth between law school and getting my PHD in political science," she said. "I want to run for office. Perhaps a senator or governor, heck, maybe even President. We could use a girl President."