Saint Xavier University student Zaheya Hasan learns how the Department of Education interacts with Congress

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Name:

Zaheya Hasan 

Home Institution:

Saint Xavier University in Chicago, IL

Internship Site:

Spring 2014 intern with the Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs in the Department of Education

What was your main responsibility at your internship? 

Attended Congressional hearings, markups, meetings, briefings and events both within and outside the Department on matters of federal education policy interest and wrote reports to summarize those events. 

  • Assisted staff with preparation for hearings, briefings, meetings, processing casework inquiries, and ongoing Congressional outreach
  • Edited Congressional databases, Congressional biographies and legislative education contacts
  • Competed presentations on how to apply for grants for congressional staff
  • Preformed researched on Pre-School programs, Head Started, Ranking System, and loan services
  • Occasionally performed various administrative tasks and other duties as assigned, including Hill runs and helping with phones when necessary

How has your internship helped you?

Assisted me to see how much I can do with my degree. Helped me learn how a federal department works with Congress.

What was the most important thing you gained from your experience in Washington, DC?

You have to go out into the workforce willing to work early and late hours in order to make a difference. 

Dominican University student developed "diplomatic acumen" through internship at USCG-International Affairs Office

/ United States Coast Guard Headquarters/
“My name is Anna Wojciechowski. I’m a student at Dominican University majoring in International Relations and Diplomacy. I was a part of the Washington Internship Institute in the Fall of 2013 at the US Coast Guard Headquarters in the Office of International Affairs. I was the assistant to the regional advisor of Latin America and the Caribbean. I drafted and edited briefing papers and correspondences. I arranged short-notice Coast Guard briefs and provided logistical support for several high level foreign visitors to Coast Guard units. I also assisted in the final stages of relocating to a new office space. I developed my work ethic and diplomatic acumen while learning the importance of communication in diplomacy. ”
— Anna Wojciechowski, Fall 2013 intern at US Coast Guard Headquarters in the Office of International Affairs and Dominican University alumna

*Photos courtesy of the United State Coast Guard

Gustavus Adolphus student Nick Nigro plans high-level visits and exchanges while interning in US Coast Guard International Affairs office #dcintern

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"I arrive between 8:30 and 9 every morning.  I usually start by checking my email as their is inevitably an assignment I've been given between when I left the previous day and when I arrive.  If this is the case, I will start into that.  If not, I will browse news sites for a little while to see if anything dramatic has occurred that I ought to inform Lt. Cdr. McConnell on (i.e. anything with Russia-U.S. relations).  I will then get to work with whatever task I have been working on.  Some projects involve me researching and updating our information on different countries while other times I will be working for Mr. Oliver and checking the cost of crazy things such as postage and figuring out formulas to standardize adding the cost of postage into a longer much more complex system I am not involved with.  Often I am called into planning meetings as my office is in charge of planning the travel of the Commandant, the head of the Coast Guard.  But more often than not, I just spend the day in my cubicle, leisurely working on my projects, taking a lunch break whenever I am drawn away from my computer and leaving when I realize I will mentally not make anymore headway tonight.  I then pack up and head home anywhere between 4 and 5."