Eric living out his childhood dream while interning with Senator Schumer

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I wanted to start my journal entry with a little introduction.  I was born in Yonkers, New York and raised about twenty minutes away.  I attended Fordham Preparatory School, a Jesuit school in New York City, and continued with my Jesuit education at Fairfield University.  I am an avid cinema enthusiast, my favorite director being Wes Anderson, and love the game of basketball.  My interest in politics stems from childhood visits to the nation’s capital and famous American Revolution sights like Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg.  It is my hope that I can someday work in the federal government in the capacity of a Congressional or White House Staffer. 

My typical day at Senator Schumer’s office starts with my arrival at 9:00 AM.  At this time I log-in on my desk phone and begin listening to the constituents.  As an intern, I am delegated the task of screening phone calls.  Constituents certainly have the right to talk with someone with a specific expertise, but not if they are going to yell and scream.  Interns are also expected to transfer calls throughout the office and take the messages of constituents that they want to pass along to the Senator.  We receive a number of calls from people who are not constituents and are instructed to hear them out, but not record their message.  Throughout the day I log the messages of constituents and add them to a list that will be given to the Senator.

At 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 5:00 PM the office receives mail.  The Senator is constantly receiving packages, junk mail, and constituent letters.  Every conceivable magazine publication sends the Senator their publications in the hopes of persuading his votes in the Senate and work in the Democratic leadership.  We sort all desired materials into the mailboxes of the staffers that are assigned to those issues.  The constituent mail is read, and then sorted into file folders of themes (Environment, Energy, Defense, Israel, Health Care, Medicare, Medicaid, Tax, LGBT Issues, Pro-Choice, Anti-Abortion, Labor Transportation, etc.).  These folders will later be divided into subsections, then have each sub-section’s names and addresses recorded into a spreadsheet, and eventually have a form letter crafted to answer the major theme of the constituent’s concerns.  For example, some of the Environment folder will be spilt into pro-fracking and anti-fracking.  Eventually those who sent letters to the office will be compiled into a spreadsheet, their letters shredded, and a response will be written to answer their concerns with how the Senator plans to deal with the issue.  We also deal with letters from people that need help with a specific problem.  Most recently those letters are still flowing in about issues with FEMA in regards to Hurricane Sandy.  All casework letters are forwarded to our office in New York City.  From time to time we receive letters from children, photo requests, and scheduling requests which are all given to the Senator’s personal assistant. 

Those are the only two things that I will definitely do throughout the course of the day.  If given the opportunity, I will seek out a staffer and engage them in a conversation.  I like to find out what it is that they do and how they came into their position.  I was recently trained on how to give a tour of the Capitol.  The spring is the height of tour season because every middle school comes to Washington D.C. for a trip.  Those tours visit the old Senate chamber, the old Supreme Court, the Rotunda, the Crypt, and the two statues from New York hidden throughout the Capitol. I am really excited to get out of the office and started with tours.  


Just another day for Maggie, learning and interning with Congressman Lynch

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While my average day at my internship is far from the luxurious image my friends back home have of me chatting with famous politicians or helping draft bills on the House floor; I have already learned far more about the American political system than I could have expected in two months. As a politics major as well as someone who routinely keeps up with current events pertaining to the US government, before I moved to Washington DC I was pretty confident in my knowledge and understanding of the way things worked and what I would be doing in my internship. Since I have started my internship on Capitol Hill working for Representative Stephen F. Lynch of Massachusetts, I have far surpassed my previous understanding of the way Congress works. My duties are not always ideal, however one of the most important lessons I have learned through working on the Hill is that experience is essential and you need to earn the respect from your coworkers doing seemingly mundane tasks in order to prove you are determined to advance in your career for the future.

Surprisingly, one of the most difficult aspects of my internship thus far has been with the clerical work I am expected to do in my office. Congressional interns are responsible for answering phones, sorting through and answering constituent and legislative mail, as well as maintaining an efficient work environment in regards to greeting visitors, coordinating staffer’s meetings and their daily schedules, and acting as an overall representation of the Representative’s office to the public. I entered the internship without this type of experience, and while I am skilled in customer service from being a waitress for five years, the computer, phone, and mail systems were entirely new to me. My initial frustration with my internship was a result of my disappointment that I was not adequately showcasing my political knowledge or willingness to learn as I was busy acting as a secretary; however now that those tasks have become simple and secondary, I have been trusted with more challenging and interesting jobs. I have been able to attend congressional hearings on some of the most controversial and prevalent issues facing our nation such as gun control in the wake of the Newtown shootings, budget planning in preparation for the sequester debate, and even social issues such as the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. I have helped draft Member Cosponsorship bills in which I have grasped a strong hold on the mechanics of legislative bill circulation. Working alongside legislative assistants who focus on specific areas of legislation on everything from healthcare to veterans affairs, I have also come to the conclusion that I do not need to specialize in all areas of politics in the future and that it is entirely plausible to carry my personal interests into the professional world of Capitol Hill. The more I have developed relationships with my coworkers and proven my ability to complete tasks promptly and to my best ability, I have noticed a change my attitude towards being “low on the totem pole.” Just like all aspects of life, you must start small and even answering a phone call from a concerned constituent has the power to broaden my professional perceptive on political science and my future career.

The overall environment of Capitol Hill is so energizing and everyone seems to have a purpose and a goal that drives their every action. Simply being a part of our nation’s capital and going to work surrounded by our nation’s leading political voices not only has inspired me to work hard in order to make my own voice heard, but also has reaffirmed my interest in this field for my career. So while my everyday varies from what seems like busy work to the exciting occasion to attend hearings or do research, I am not in an everyday environment and for that I am extremely lucky for this opportunity.

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Gaurav Pahouja, Kent State graduate, conducts research at the National Institutes of Health

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"My name is Gaurav Pahouja and I am currently living in the District of Columbia for an internship. I have recently finished a bachelor of science in Integrated Life Sciences at Kent State University and am planning on entering medical school at the Northeast Ohio Medical University during the fall of 2013. I am interning four days per week at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) working in Dr. Daniel Douek’s laboratory.

I have been both enjoying and learning a lot from my work at the NIH. My typical day begins fairly early, approximately seven in the morning to get up and get ready to go to work. I need to arrive to my internship by nine in the morning on a normal day and my commute from where I live in Arlington takes around one hour and fifteen minutes on average. Once I arrive to work, I head straight into the laboratory. I have a desk in the lab where I work when I am not conducting bench research. Usually, I start the day by running various experiments. If I do not need to start an experiment right away, I shadow other researchers to refine my techniques or read some of the academic articles my lab has produced to deeper understand the work being conducted. During my experiments, I sometimes have an hour or more to wait while a sample is being heated or reacted where I also utilize time to continue training. Presently, I am being trained in flow cytometry and blood and tissue processing so I can be involved in more projects and contribute more the lab. The lab I work in has a focus on Immunology and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). There are many projects going on in the lab, but at this time I am focused on a clonotype analysis deep sequencing protocol. The objective of this project is to sequence the genome of both B-cell and T-cell receptors to better understand the microbiology behind the cells and their role in both the immune system and HIV.

In order to complete the entire deep sequencing protocol on a given sample of cells, I must allot myself four full days of time in the lab. The basic steps of the procedure include extracting mRNA and cDNA from a sample of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), running a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis on the cDNA, running a second round of PCR and doing analysis with a bioanalyzer and qPCR, and finally examining the data and sequencing using an illumina machine. Each of these four main steps require approximately one full day of work. PBMC’s contain the target B-cells and T-cells used in the research. The mRNA and cDNA are part of the genome of the cells and are the backbone of sequencing. PCR is a process of amplifying the cDNA of the T-cell or B-cell receptors in order to have a stronger concentration and population of the target genome which allows for sequencing. The bioanalyzer and qPCR measure size and concentration of the cells. Finally, the illumina runs the actual sequencing of the DNA from the receptor. Each of these complex steps is vital to the ultimate sequencing of the receptors for further study and analysis.

Besides running experiments and training during my typical day at work, I may also need to attend a lab meeting. Each Tuesday and Friday I am part of lab meetings. On Tuesdays, the lab I work in and a lab one floor below come together to collaborate data and ideas. Fridays involve a lab meeting consisting of just my lab. During these meetings, I am able to share with everyone what I have been doing all week, as well as hear what everyone else has been working on. This gives me a chance to receive feedback and advice on where to head next. In addition, I am able to touch base with my supervisors. I have two main supervisors. One of my supervisors works one desk over from me in the lab and I am able to take her questions I have on a daily basis and receive assignments and projects from her. The other supervisor I mainly see at the lab meetings. The meetings are also a great way for all three of us to come together and express our ideas and talk about my progress.

After a busy day of work, I head back to my apartment in Arlington around five or six in the afternoon depending on how busy the day had been. Occasionally I am let out early and am able to appreciate one of the many sights that DC has to offer. Once I arrive back from work, I am able to enjoy the great city and unwind from a long day while having some fun. Each day DC has something new to offer. Every day that I go to work I learn something new and enhance my knowledge in science and medicine. I really enjoy what I do and feel that I am helping my lab just as much as my lab is helping me progress with my education and practical experience. I am extremely happy to be a part of the team at the NIH and look forward to continuing to learn more throughout the remainder of my time working in the VRC."

 

Franceska and the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

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My internship for the spring semester is granting me the opportunity of a lifetime. I am interning with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, in the Public Interest Division.  I assist attorneys with legal research, and attend witness deposition. The more I work in the office, the more I want to achieve my goals. I am currently working with a paralegal specialist and an Assistant Attorney General (AAG) on a case. The attorneys do not only assign you a specific task but they take you under their tutelage. They tell you everything you need to know. They explain in details particular laws regarding particular cases. They also give pointers to undergraduates regarding law school. They advise us about how to succeed in Law school and on the LSAT. Interning at OAG has already broadened my view as far as what I want to do after graduation.

Being scheduled to work from 8:45 am every Tuesdays through Fridays, I am usually the first of all interns to arrive at work. Therefore, I come to work to an empty office; I usually use that time to check my emails from work, and my home institution. Most attorneys do not arrive at the office ‘til 9:30am; hence, the office is not busy until 10am. My supervisor, who is by far the best supervisor I have had, usually comes to work at 10am which is why I often used to question why was I scheduled to be in the office so early if there is nothing to work on before 10am. However, ever since I have been assigned to work on Privilege Logs, I always have something to do as soon as I arrive at work. Privilege Log is a document that contains and describes other documents to be withheld from production in a lawsuit. I have been assigned to more than 5,000 documents to describe in Privilege Log. In order to describe a document, I must read its contents and type the reason why this should be kept in the Privilege Log and from production. The work itself is not difficult; I actually work at a fast pace, finishing about 300 a day. However, to spend eight hours staring at the monitor, at the same page and repeating the same process every time can surely drain the life out of you. I have been working on Privilege Logs for nearly 2 weeks because more has been added to the list.

Time away from my desk is always cherished because it means I have a mini break from Privilege Logs. On certain days, I would have to attend a witness deposition. Choosing to attend a witness deposition instead of working on Privilege Logs can be tricky because sometimes the deposition can be even more boring than Privilege Logs. Other times, it can be pretty interesting and entertaining, especially when both attorneys start making slick comments about each other. Another way I distract myself from Privilege Logs is by attending hearings in the Federal Court. My first time there was quite an experience. The courtroom is far bigger and more impressive than I expected. ; it was bigger than expected, very formal. In a Federal Court, I learned that others can attend a private hearing; however, they will not be able to hear any interactions between the judge and the attorneys because they would turn on the “White Noise”. Others can watch the hearing but will not be able to hear anything because it is private. I found it fascinating because only half of the room could hear the attorneys and the judge; everyone else is just watching moving, silent bodies. Whenever an attorney from the Public Interest Division has a motion hearing in the Federal Court, the other interns and I would gladly leave our desk to attend. The interns and I usually take our lunch break together. The four of us always walk to Chinatown which is few blocks from our office to grab lunch and socialize; then, we walk back to our office and spend the rest of the day behind our desk until instructed otherwise.

​Besides spending my entire day working on Privilege Logs, I often interact with the attorneys and the paralegal specialists in the office. Many of them have advised me about Law School and the LSATs. Given that I am one of the couple undergraduates in the office, I often spend my lunch break with 3rd year law students, which has been very beneficial to me because I get to learn what I need to know about law school from students who are on their way out. After speaking to many attorneys, paralegal specialists and current law students, I have officially decided to take a break after college graduation in order to get work experiences in the field as a paralegal. Working in the office and being in the presence of many successful attorneys have helped me make this decision that would benefit both my career and my chances of getting into a law school of my choice.

A day at the IRS, with Alex

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I am a junior at Rutgers University in New Jersey majoring in economics with minors in math and political science.  My interests include macro and microeconomic issues that affect the domestic and international economies and how they influence governmental policy.  After I graduate and earn my B.A. I want to begin my career path in the public service sector. Later in my professional career I want to transition to the private financial services.  Along the way I want to pursue a graduate degree; however, until I am certain about the specific career I want to obtain the debate whether to pursue an MBA or MA/MS will continue.  Currently, for the spring 2013 semester I am studying at the Washington Internship Institute one day a week in Washington D.C.  During the rest of the week I intern full time with the Internal Revenue Service in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.  In addition, I study and research in the various libraries for my classes and the research paper I am writing for Rutgers University in order to gain course credit.

Being that my typical day as an intern is new and exciting I look forward to the experiences each day has to offer. Usually, I wake up at about 6 a.m. and quickly join the hustle of the DC commute on the Metrobus and Metrorail.  When I enter the office usually around 7:20, I first proceed by checking my email to organize my schedule of meetings and work tasks assigned.  Afterwards I meet each of my co-workers at their cubicles to have a little discussion and ask questions about any of the emails they have sent me. I may ask if there is anything I can assist with if I happen to not have anything to work on.  No matter how simple or complicated the task, I try to accept them all even if I am currently busy. I feel that this is necessary so I can show my co-workers that I am eager to learn and can take on responsibility.  I forgot to mention one crucial part of my morning, coffee, without it I would be in a daze and not prepared for the challenges a waiting the moment I step in the office. 

On Tuesdays there is usually an hour-long staff meeting in a conference room where I sit in and my business unit discusses their game plan for the day and week ahead.  I make sure to always take a notepad and pen with me to any sort of meeting or when I am talking with a co-worker.  Your co-workers want you to ask questions, it is expected of you as an intern, and without doing so you cannot learn and gain invaluable firsthand experience.  At the conclusion of the staff meeting I head back to my cubicle and begin the work I was assigned.  Thus far, my work has consisted of creating quarterly budget reports in excel and revising and editing memos. I am also assisting the audit liaison in following up on provided by client (PBC) deliverables that the Financial Management division is responsible for providing to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in accordance with our yearly audit, and I have begun to review the Unpaid Assessment Estimation process procedures in order to assist the group’s statistician.

At lunch time I grab another cup of coffee to give myself a short break or occasionally eat lunch with a professional in my office to learn more about their career path.  At the conclusion of the work day I make sure to say goodbye to my boss and other co-workers.  Directly from work I try to have at least one to two networking meetings set up a week to meet with professionals to help expand my network and gain invaluable insight to different careers and opportunities.  I am always looking for a networking opportunity or just an informational conversation with a professional during my daily commute.

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Coastal Carolina History major curates at the Octagon Museum

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"For  most of the days of my internship, I wake up earlier than for class but take the same metro to the same stop.  My museum is just a few blocks away from the WII office.  I arrive at the Octagon Museum between 8 and 8:30 depending on when I catch the metro.  I spend the first few minutes after I arrive setting up my desk.  I have to turn on my computer, check emails and voice mails. After this I begin doing a number of different things.  They range from working on projects that I have been assigned, to doing research for my boss, even research for the National Park Service (The Octagon partners with the NPS on a project with Ghent in Belgium to teach students about the War of 1812).  I also answer phones regarding questions about the museum and tours.  On some occasions I have given private tours, one of which was to a group of students that are part of the Belgium project.  I switch back and forth between many different things that have been assigned to me and little things that my boss gives me throughout the day.  My day ends between 4 and 4:30, depending on when I got there in the morning.  The museum works with flex time so as long as I get my 8 hours in it does not matter when they are.  Once I get home I try not to do any work unless it is a pressing matter that needs to be finished for the next day

The final type of typical day for me is Friday.  It begins the same way as Tuesday – Thursday until just before 1.  The museum is open to the public from 1-4 Thursday and Friday.  On Thursday we have a volunteer who comes in to greet people and answer questions but on Friday we do not.  It becomes my job to do this.  It is interesting to be the one knowing about the museum instead of the one coming in to learn about it.  After the museum closes at 4, I return to my desk and finish up anything I was working on and leave."