Duquesne and Dominican University Interns Work with Important Democrats on the Hill

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Molly Kirwan, a senior at Duquesne University, had the opportunity to be a legislative intern for Senator Robert Casey of Pennsylvania during the Fall 2014 semester. Her areas of focus in the office were issues of tax, trade, Social Security, jobs & labor, housing & homelessness, and pensions. Her major tasks included informing the Senator of current events in tax policy and trade policy on a weekly basis, analyzing the employment report put out by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on a monthly basis, and assisting in the organization of three separate Congressional hearings. 

Also on the Hill was Maggie Angel from Dominican University. As an intern in the office of Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, Maggie experienced Congress and the legislative process. She attended Senate hearings and briefings, wrote memos for legislative staffers, and conducted background research for future legislation.

Daemen College Intern Learns about History and Makes Her Own

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This fall, I interned at the National Museum of American History under Associate Curator, Debbie Schaefer-Jacobs in the Division of Home and Community Life. I helped her accession of a large school collection of about 900 items from donor, Dr. Richard Lodish. I had many tasks such as making packing lists for each visit, boxing up the objects from the donor’s house and bring them back to the museum, unpacking them in storage, photographing, sorting, measuring, describing and cataloguing them. Overall, this internship has really given me experience and a professional edge. I got to work hands-on with the objects and create a relationship with my supervisor and the donor. My hard work was featured on the front page of the Washington Post and NPR. I was very lucky and blessed to have this opportunity at such a well-known institution. Interning in Washington, D.C. had given me the confidence and independence to succeed in obtaining my goals. 

Vanderbilt University Student Intern Gives Back while Gaining Skills

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“Growing up in the DC metropolitan area, I have had access to the city’s educational, historical, and cultural opportunities all my life. However, living and working in the city was an experience more rich than I could have imagined. My internship site, especially, gave me the unique opportunity to work for a cause I care about while learning how politics and policy interact.

As a Policy Intern for National Coalition for the Homeless, I focused mostly on advocacy for housing assistance programs that keep low-income individuals in homes. This manifested itself in a wide variety of tasks, meetings, calls, and research. It was hard to be bored when I always had a new project to work on, new person to contact, or new subject to learn more about. I frequently communicated with NCH’s grassroots base, mobilizing groups that we’ve worked with in the past to take action now.

Giving my time in this way to NCH has rewarded me by building hard knowledge, like understanding the way government really works and how one can affect legislation, and my soft skills, like communication, time-management, and initiative. I’m so thankful for the guidance I was given, the freedom I had, and the experience I got overall. What a great way to spend my summer!”
— Jennifer Warner, Vanderbilt University student and National Coalition for the Homeless Policy Intern

Coastal Carolina Student Intern "Awakened" to What Comes Next

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“Growth and independence have always been an important aspect of my life I wanted to improve. I have been very privileged to have great parents who continue to help me to where I am today. My first taste of independence was receiving keys to the house and my own car. Eventually, my independence led to going to college eleven hours away. To this date though, my biggest challenge has been living in Washington, DC. Having the responsibility of working nine to five, four days a week with the additional responsibility of classes has made me feel like an adult. In the past two months, I have grown more than I have in three years at college. I can only imagine how I will grow over the final few weeks!

My internship has opened my eyes to what “real life” is actually like. I was originally excited when I was getting ready to come to D.C. to intern, but it has shown me how easy I have had it! If I didn’t enjoy what I was doing here in D.C., I could see how people could easily become annoyed with their job. I have always had a general idea of how the workforce operated because I have had many jobs. It was a huge awakening though to see how much more difficult it truly is inside an office than at a restaurant. Seeing firsthand all the education and knowledge my coworkers have gained to get where they are now is astonishing. I thought that the degree I am currently receiving next spring would be sufficient to get a decent job. Now, I see how wrong I was. I have seen that many people do many more years of education just to receive an “okay” job in D.C. Living here has really awakened me to what I need to do in order to get where I want to be.

Coming to D.C. has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. All of the struggles that I have been experiencing have been for my own betterment. The amount of growth and strength I have gained will only continue to progress as my career continues. Blessed is the best way to describe how my life has been, and privileged is how I would describe it in the current state. I am not only scared, but I am excited to how my life will turn after this experience. D.C. has been a great stepping stone, and I will cherish what I have been through here to further my career. ”
— Joseph Paul Hartman, Advocates for Justice and Education, Inc intern and Coastal Carolina student

Quincy University Student Intern Benefits from "Remarkable Experience" at Sierra Club

/ Sierra Club/
“This summer, I interned at the Sierra Student Coalition that is a part of the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club is a one of the largest grassroots environmental organizations in the nation that takes a stance on conserving the environment. As a part of the Sierra Student Coalition, I worked as a liaison between the older Sierra Club environmentalists and the youth environmentalists. We train youth to be environmental leaders in their campuses and communities, while also teaching them why the environmental movement is so crucial for the sustainability of the planet.

Working for one of the largest grassroots environmental organizations in the world as a young environmentalist made me jump for joy, but also intimidated me. My main duties included administrative and logistic work for the Sierra Student Coalitions Summer Programs (SPROG) that took place all around the country and the Sierra Student Coalitions National Gathering (Shindig) that is happening in the fall. I took care of all the finances for SPROG, which is pretty intimidating to a person who has not handled more than one thousand dollars in her lifetime. However, I adapted well and ran checks, approved foundation transfers, and made sure the 100+ young people attending SPROG had their tuition paid and required forms submitted. Also I helped with the logistics of both SPROG and Shindig: the who, what, why, where, and how is very important in order to accurately plan and execute an event. One of my favorite and most recent projects has been helping put together plans for the New York Climate March. It will be the biggest climate march in history, and I was able to help figure out plans for it with the Sierra Student Coalition.

Even though I may sound like Wonder Woman right now, this is not the case. I have tripped and stumbled a bit through my journey in the SSC. Some lessons I have learned are that logistics and the small details are truly important and crucial to efficiently execute an event. Another is, as an intern, I truly do matter at the Sierra Student Coalition. The work I do does matter, and the organization and details I produce help events run smoothly with the work I do. I was relied on to be responsible and efficient with the jobs I took on. I believe this has helped me grow professionally, being responsible for the details of such large projects made me see and understand event planning thoroughly while also understanding the responsibility I would have if I pursued a career in campaigning or event planning. The Sierra Club also did a great job with including interns on the inner working of the office by providing a lunch time lecture they called “brown bag presentations” from different people in the office who explained what they do. I have never met a group of more dedicated people before coming to the Club.

All in all, my internship has truly been a remarkable experience that I will not just let end when I leave Washington D.C. I plan on continuing to stay involved with volunteering for the SSC, attending the Peoples Climate March, and keeping in touch with my awesome supervisors! I hope to pursue a career in programming and event planning one day, so this internship gave me an insight into that world while also teaching me to be a true advocate for a safer more sustainable environment. I have truly grown professional and as a person through this experience. Internships are relevant and important; they are a cheat to getting a taste of the real world while also not having the full responsibility of real life or life after school. I am glad I took on this experience this summer!”
— Julianne Touhy, Sierra Club intern and Quincy University student

Vanderbilt University Student Intern Produces Radio Show, Produces Results

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“The night before I left for D.C., I had a hard time sleeping. I had no idea what to expect from the weeks ahead. My summers usually consisted of babysitting and too many hiking trips, so the idea of an actual internship was a little terrifying. I was also nervous about living on my own, as I’d been pretty spoiled by my Vanderbilt housing and meal plan.

When I arrived at my apartment in Crystal City, it was pretty clear that I wasn’t in Nashville anymore. The first few days are a blur of getting in everyone’s way on the metro, a few mishaps in attempting to cook for myself, and trying without avail to define “business casual” before my first day at work.

I arrived forty-five minutes early on my first day as an intern at The Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU 88.5. I sat squirming in my seat in the lobby until my supervisor arrived to show me around. I panicked when I realized I didn’t remember everyone’s names when I was asked to take notes in my first production meeting, but I felt relieved when one of my coworkers complimented my handshake. By the time I left the station, I was exhausted, but also excited by how much responsibility I’d been given. As an intern, I would be able to pitch my own ideas for shows and work on producing them from start to finish. This involved writing scripts, doing background research, and finding guests who could join Kojo on the show. In addition, I’d be helping the producers with research and editing scripts. The atmosphere at the station was creative and full of energy, which is exactly what I’d been looking for. (Needless to say, my fear of spending the summer fetching coffee was alleviated.)

I produced my first show a few weeks ago, and the number of calls and emails we received amazed me. After weeks of doing research, writing up a script for Kojo, and contacting potential guests, seeing it all come together as a cohesive segment was unreal. Walking out of the studio that day, I remember thinking that maybe the “real world” wasn’t so scary after all.

Sure, I’ve had some not so great moments as well. I’ve gone to the wrong Starbucks to meet up with an alumnus, finally arriving at the correct location twenty minutes late with blistered feet. I’ve been painfully awkward when meeting guests on the show, particularly those that left me a little starstruck (Ahem, John Waters.) And rather than sticking to the budget I carefully outlined last May, I’ve spent entirely too much money on brunch.

But at the end of the day, on my train home, I can’t help but look out at the Washington Monument and be proud that I took this risk. Cliché as it may sound, I have to say the past eight weeks have been a whirlwind. I’m definitely more confident than the girl who sat nervously in the station lobby that May morning. I’ve had to reach out of my comfort zone. I’ve volunteered to take on responsibilities that go beyond what was outlined in the intern handbook I received on my first day, and I’ve built some valuable relationships with my coworkers. I’m leaving D.C. much more sure of myself and what it is I want to do after college, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this experience.”
— Maggie Knox, Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU 88.5 intern and Vanderbilt student

Colby-Sawyer College Student Intern Learns about Teamwork to Fight Disease

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“Deciding to intern with the Hydrocephalus Association was, I think, the best decision I could have made. I decided to take a chance. I entered an internship centered on a condition I knew very little about, and I was going to working on things that I had never really been exposed to before. Since starting my internship at the end of May, I have learned so much. One of the most important messages I will take away from my experience is that every person with hydrocephalus is different. Like many other conditions, no two people are the same. Many people have never heard of hydrocephalus, and if they have heard of hydrocephalus they tend to think it is only a problem in the developing world. I have learned though that more than 1 million Americans have Hydrocephalus, making it more prevalent than cystic fibrosis, and yet more people have heard of cystic fibrosis (I was one of those people).

Interning with the Hydrocephalus Association was a wonderful experience and I am thankful for it. Not only did I learn about a condition I knew close to nothing about, but I also learned a lot about being a professional. Having never worked in an office before, I was nervous in the beginning, but the work experience that I had taught me the importance of teamwork and though the work is different in this office, the importance of teamwork is stressed, which transcends to other work environments. The best piece of advice I can give to anyone about to start an internship is this: keep an open mind and look at everything as a learning experience. There may be days that are busier than others and there may be days where you do a lot of clerical work, but everything you do is important in some way to the organization you are working with. If you can remember that, then I truly believe you will have a great time with your internship. ”
— Erica Bradley, Hydrocephalus Association intern and Colby-Sawyer College Student

Lynn University Student Intern Works for--and Teaches Others about--Social Justice

/ The Steinbruck Center/
“When I first arrived at The Steinbruck Center I was completely unaware of what I had gotten myself into. The Center’s mission is to be an interfaith ministry of social justice, hospitality and learning. Steinbruck is home to multiple creative programs located at Luther Place Church. I absolutely love going to work because every single day has been different.

There are three major parts of my internship; the Community Craft Collective, working with groups staying at the Center’s hostel, and summer camp. The Community Craft Collective (CCC) is a group of women that make all kinds of crafts that they can sell. All of these women are homeless and the profit is what they use to support themselves. They are so talented and it has really been amazing to see them in action on a daily basis. The CCC has really been a blessing to be a part of because I get to see woman work daily to change the difficult hand that life has dealt.

The groups staying at the hostel come to learn about urban life and justice issues. They come from all over the country and are of all ages and backgrounds. My job is to take them to two different soup kitchens, So Others Might Eat and Charlie’s Place. These two soup kitchens offer different services, but the learning that is exciting is seeing people exposed for the first time to the raw truths of homelessness in America. I have very much enjoyed playing a role in the opening of eyes to the social justice issues that lurk right under our noses.

The third part of my internship is working with summer camp. Summer camp has been consuming my schedule for the past two weeks and it is what I will continue to do while I am in D.C. The kids that are part of summer camp are primarily Spanish-speaking and therefore it is extra important that during the summer they do not stop using the language skills that they learn school during the year. During summer camp I get to teach the campers songs and interact with them like teachers do. Summer camp has been really great for me in many different ways, but I think what makes it so exciting is being able to see the kids grow and work on themselves. I have a real appreciation for how hard school can be and I hope that by being at the camp these kids will have a little extra shot at being successful. ”
— Mary Cresswell, The Steinbruck Center intern and Lynn University student

Max Mescall's view of internships transformed by "real world work experience" at the National Crime Prevention Council

/ National Crime Prevention Council/
“Currently, I work at the National Crime Prevention Council based out of Arlington Virginia. When I first arrived in Washington D.C. with WII, I thought internships were more opportunities to meet others in my field of interest than actual work experiences. To my surprise, I have obtained both real world work experience in my small office, and had the opportunity to speak to many experts in the field of crime prevention. Instead of fetching coffee or making copies, as I expected I would do while in my office, I am helping research topics for grant proposals, writing blog posts on cutting edge techniques to prevent crime, and interviewing leaders in the field of crime prevention and deterrence. Rather than an office that treats interns with contempt or as people who are there for a few weeks then never heard from again, my coworkers treat me as an equal, and I am proud to say that I am building lasting relationships with those whom share my lunch breaks.

My supervisor is both extremely professional and friendly, and guides me through the day-to-day events in the office. She is extremely careful to make sure that I am not overburdened by my workload, while also trying to challenge me with new tasks, like interviews or promoting the National Crime Prevention Council through its social media outlets. My boss also makes sure that she is available to help me with any difficult projects or assignments, but gives me the independence to pursue my tasks in the manner and speed that I choose. Along with working alongside of her and helping her efforts, my manager encourages me to work together with members from other departments, or within my own department, giving me the real world experience of working with others to accomplish set goals in an office setting.

To say the least, my internship is not what I expected. I hope to continue to learn about my office, and the people in it, in the remaining time that I have here in the nation’s capital.”
— Max Mescall, Summer 2014 intern at the National Crime Prevention Council and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey student

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. 

#WIInstagram: Spring 2014 Edition

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Is it already summer? Where did the time go? It seems like yesterday that our Spring 2014 cohort was arriving in the middle of one of the coldest and snowiest winters in recent memory. The time passed quickly, but the students took full advantage of their time in Washington, DC. Check out their experiences in our WIInstagram below: 

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

Cazenovia College student not disappointed by Washington, DC adventures!

/ Seaberry Design and Communications/
“As a graphic design student, I didn’t come to DC for any political appeal. I came to experience the adventure of living, working and studying outside of my comfort zone.

My advisor Jason helped me find an incredible internship with Seaberry Design and Communications, where I had the chance to design websites, promotional graphics, marketing materials, posters and so much more. Forget those horror intern stories about only going on coffee runs and making copies: I gained insight into working as a professional in the graphic design field.

The biggest thing that impacted my time here in DC was the amount of networking opportunities WII opened to us, besides those I discovered on my own. I met many media specialists, including a White House correspondent and a number of former and current congressman, including former Senator Joseph Tydings who served as John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign manager. The list of people I met and exchanged business cards with, which then turned into informational interviews over lunch or coffee, is lengthy. I am leaving DC with connections I will keep into the future.

If you’re a potential WII intern (and made it all the way through this long post, woohoo!), I strongly encourage you to spend a semester in DC with this program. If you are a prospective student but not studying politics, don’t let that stop you because there are tons of opportunities for us non-poli sci students here! I am leaving DC as more well-rounded student. I came for adventures in DC and I was not disappointed.”
— Naomi Mekeel, Seaberry Design & Communications intern from Cazenovia College

William Paterson University alumna Lisa Melanie Martinez takes first step towards dream career with Prime Advocacy internship

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“Hello, my name is Lisa Melanie Martinez. I am a senior at William Paterson University, which is located in New Jersey. As a political science major, I am thrilled to be in the center of US politics. Interning in Washington DC for my last semester of my undergraduate career has been a life altering experience for me. I am an intern at Prime Advocacy, which is a logistics firm that schedules legislative meetings for various organizations. Being able to walk by Capitol Hill every morning motivates me to live in the moment, because my time in DC is limited by only 3 months. Therefore, I immersed myself within the DC experience by attending events and conferences as a gateway to grasp all the knowledge and skills that is essential to my personal growth. By attending networking events after my internship, I met a diverse group of individuals, who shared their important career advice to me.

As the end of the semester slowly approaches in two weeks, I am coming back to New Jersey as a self-reliant woman. From this experience, I learned the importance of becoming independent on my own by acquiring budgeting and couponing skills. In addition, I am now able to hone my time management skills, because I now understand the importance of balancing both my school and internship assignments. During my down time, I became involved with the young adult ministries in various parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Washington DC. I enjoyed trying new cuisines thanks to the popular food trucks, while also learning how to cook various dishes on my own. Walking through the same historical streets of groundbreaking individuals of our nation’s past has inspired me to use this DC experience as a foundation to build my legacy as a future politician.

I am thankful for the Washington Internship Institute for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity. This is not a goodbye, this is a see you later Washington DC. I will be back in the future as a Congresswoman.”
— Lisa Melanie Martinez, Fall 2013 intern at Prime Advocacy and William Paterson University alumna