D.C. Internships an excellent opportunity for students at Utah State
Students at USU have an opportunity to apply the things they learn in the classroom in the real world when they intern in Washington, D.C., said Cindy Nielson, program administrator in the political science department.
Nielson has been the program administrator for the past 20 years and said the internship program has really taken off in the last seven years.
“An internship is the way to get a job, get experience and get your foot in the door,” Nielson said.
Shannon Johnson, senior dual majoring in law and constitutional studies and journalism, interned in Idaho Senator Mike Crapo’s office in the fall of 2007.
Johnson said she has always wanted to go to law school on the east coast, and her internship helped her to begin to establish a network and check out the area, all while attending school.
“I think the level of immersion in the government was amazing. It’s nothing that can be paralleled in a classroom,” she said.
Johnson feels the internship helped her professional resume, as well as adding a level of understanding to the things she learns in her classes now. Before her internship Johnson says she knew who Harry Reid was, but “now I know his personality. I’ve seen the legislative branch and how they interact.”
Orrin Hatch has been a Utah Senator since 1977. Hatch said interns are valuable in his office because of the help they provide to the staff in handling the “overwhelming workload.”
“The Utahns that come to Washington to intern with us are consistently of the highest quality,” Hatch said. “They are dedicated to doing all they can to assist Utahns and learning the ins and outs of Washington.”
Hatch also said, “In exchange for their work, interns get a crash course on the inner workings of government. That knowledge helps them in college and helps them to jump start their careers after graduation.”
Students from USU have traditionally done very well in internship positions, said Roberta Herzberg, department head of political science.
“We’ve been very successful in placing students. We have a lot of successful USU interns all over Capitol Hill,” she said. “The internship is a wonderful path in which students can use theories from the classroom in life.”
Nick West, senior dual majoring in law and constitutional studies and philosophy, is currently interning in Ted Kennedy’s campaign office, and interned in Senator Bob Bennetts office in 2006.
“I like the opportunities to work with congressmen and senators, and the educational opportunities to see how the government works in reality, versus how it’s supposed to work,” West said.
While West is currently interning, he has interviews lined up for future jobs in the area.
“My internships have opened a great amount of opportunities,” West said. “The connections you make in D.C. open a lot of doors.”
West said that more important than just getting an internship is taking it seriously.
“It’s not a four-month vacation,” West said. “If you pay attention and put your nose to the grindstone, you’ll get a lot of experience.”
Internships are open to all students, not just political science majors, Nielson said. Nielson’s office has secured internships for students in the Senate, the House, the White House, lobbying groups, think-tanks, the CIA, not-for-profits and international agencies, as well as with many other organizations, she said. Internships are also available in Salt Lake City with the state legislature in the spring, she said.
Nielson said to apply for an internship, students need to pick up an application in her office. When the application has been filled out, it should be returned to Nielson along with a resume, writing samples, two letters of recommendation and an unofficial transcript.
USU currently leases five apartments in the Crystal Plaza Apartment building, just five miles from Capitol Hill, and one Metro stop away from Ronald Reagan International Airport. Students have the option of renting an apartment, where they have the opportunity of living with other interns from the Utah area. Depending on the number of interns from USU each semester, Nielson says students from Southern Utah University, Utah Valley University, Weber State University and some Idaho schools also rent the apartments.
USU interns receive 12 credits for a full-time internship, Nielson said. Besides their full-time work, students must submit a 12-page policy paper at the end of the semester and attend six seminars during their internship.
Nielson says the seminars are offered for “networking possibilities,” and often involve discussions or presentations from professionals in a variety of fields. Nielson also said that last semester four USU interns were hired.
For more information on internship opportunities, visit Nielson in Old Main office 320. Internships are still available for spring semester.
–kandice.crompton@aggiemail.usu.edu