Finally Feeling at Home

In my third week in D.C I am finally feeling at home. I am becoming a champion of public transportation, which is something that is nonexistent where I’m from, and am able to find places with ease. I am also on a mission to find the best restaurant in D.C; so far Sushi Damo is at the top of the list.

Out to dinner

In addition, my internship is still going GREAT! It’s a small office, so the other intern and I are really getting to know the people at the firm. I have never worked with such a diverse group of people and they all have very different, distinct personalities. Also, I was invited to a book signing party with Senator Conrad (D-ND) and his daughter, Jessamyn Conrad. Her book is “The Things You Should Know about Politics but Don’t.” We also attended a fundraiser for Congressman Serrano (D-NY) who is running in the upcoming election. I am a Republican, but it was interesting to listen to a room full of Democrats discussing everything from the economy to the election. Both were great experiences that I would never have dreamed of attending anywhere else but D.C.

The Hill

The Political Leadership Program held a joint event with the International Affairs Program about “The Future of the Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” Ori Nir, a spokesperson for Americans for Peace Now and Ziad Asali, president and founder of the American Task Force on Palestine, spoke to us about the origins of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and what the necessary steps are to achieve peace.

Additionally, we started the Presidential Lecture Series, where TWC brings in prestigious speakers to speak to all students in the program. Dr. Lawrence Korb, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress spoke to us about the Iraq War and the problems that the Bush administration has faced since the initial invasion. Honestly, I did not care for the speaker. The speaker could have just started out the lecture with “Hi, please vote for Senator Barack Obama.” I felt it was incredibly inappropriate for a high level official to use his title to persuade a room full of students about his position on the 2008 election. It’s one thing to subscribe yourself to listen to a speaker whose purpose is to campaign, but it’s another thing to have to attend a mandatory lecture thinking the purpose is to discuss the Iraq War. The Political Leadership advisor and I discussed this and he told me there will be plenty of speakers to follow that are controversial, those of which I may agree with but other students will not. We will see next Monday.

Next week is going to be very busy considering the economic turmoil challenging the United States. I am looking forward to the Senate Committee hearings about the federal bank bailout.

Being goofy at the Newseum

The Internship Begins...

I could not sleep the night before the first day of my internship because I was overwhelmed with excitement. I stayed up all night ironing my clothes ten times over and checking and double-checking my bag to make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything. In fear of massive train delays, I left my apartment at a ridiculous hour to make sure that I wouldn’t be late. Early is better than late, but two hours early? Well that called for Starbucks, which, like every other city, is thankfully on every corner. When I arrived at Downey McGrath Group, I met the other intern who like me was incredibly early and very nervous. We were introduced to the staff, who greeted us very kindly, which calmed my nerves.

We spent the first day in a meeting learning about lobbying and their specific clients. I became fascinated by the amount and diversity of clients that sought their advocacy. We also came to find out that one of the Vice Presidents was featured in “Politico” described as a former McCain staffer turned lobbyist who now advocates for the legalization of online gambling and offshore drilling. That’s not exactly all that he does, but it was funny to hear your boss being smeared. He’s a good sport.

As the week progressed I was able to attend two Capitol Hill meetings, one was a mark up involving criminal background checks for healthcare employees. The other was an energy summit intended to foster bipartisan dialogue on how to achieve a more secure, reliable, sustainable and affordable energy future for the American people. It was fascinating watching the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a panel of expert witnesses discuss America’s energy future. As an intern, my job is to record the high points and specific statements that directly affect our clients and then write a memorandum.

A great thing about working for former Congressmen and lobbyists is that they get invited to great events and pass along the invitations to us. In my first week, I was invited to a book release party where I was in the presence of Carol Browner, former Administrator of the EPA, and Senator Tom Daschle, former Senate Majority Leader. I have a long list of upcoming events, several a week, that I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to attend. In addition to working 9-5, DC has a lot of great volunteering opportunities. The Washington Center and Greater DC Cares have been very effective in sending out e-mails notifying us of very diverse and fun volunteering events. Since I have arrived I’ve spent a day in the rain distributing sandbags during Hurricane Hannah, working at the Pentagon Memorial ceremony, food drives, homeless shelters, and beautifying the city (a nice way to say picking up trash). Next week I start volunteering at the Republican headquarters for John McCain’s campaign. All in all, it's been a very exciting and productive week! Now for a not so productive weekend starting with happy hour!

Out to dinner with new TWC friends

Newseum!!!

Amazing view of Capitol Hill and the crew

Helping set up the flags at the Pentagon Memorial

Blog Entry 1

Today is Labor Day and it is a day of reflection to remember the social and economic achievements of Americans throughout history. Since it has been one week since I arrived, it is a day to think about my own plans during the next fifteen weeks and to reflect on my personal anxieties during the process of applying to The Washington Center.

As Fall semester 2007 came to an end, it concerned me that I had not had any hands on experience in my fields of study. As a senior in Political Science and History, it is important to apply what I have learned in the classroom to real-world experiences. I was intrigued by the information a representative from the Washington Center presented during a Political Science course and I knew that an opportunity to intern in Washington D.C. would be unmatched to any other experience during my undergraduate education.

It is amazing to think that it has already been six months since I filled out my application to the Washington Center and now I am here! I was incredibly nervous during the application and interview process. Many questions came to mind. When would future employers call me? What were they going to ask me? What if nobody calls me? Are they going to discuss my political ideologies? Are they not going to like me because of my partisan affiliation? And most importantly how do I know which internship would be best for me? After employers began to call, I was amazed by the diversity in my choices. After discussing the internship duties and comparing them to my goals for the semester, I chose Downey McGrath Group, a bi-partisan lobbying firm.

In addition, I was apprehensive about the living situation in Washington D.C. Many friends told me that D.C was very dangerous outside of Capitol Hill and I was concerned for my safety. After the housing assignments were posted, I was able to check out the location and the building online. I also learned that I would be sharing a room with a fellow Washington Center student. I have lived on my own since I moved out of my parents house, so I was worried that my roommates and I would have conflicting personalities or habits. My nerves were subsided when I met my roommates. It has only been a week; however, they are from all over the world and I am confident we will be able to learn a lot from each other. They are even trying to teach me Spanish! My apartment building (Fenestra, located in Maryland) is also great, and it's near a town square with lots of shops and restaurants.

The first day of the program kicked off with a competitive scavenger hunt beginning at the Lincoln Memorial and directed us with a series of questions around the Capitol Hill area. Unfortunately, it was raining but that did not stop us from taking as many pictures as possible at the historical sites on the list! Some were wise and had rain coats, others like me just toughed it out. I had not checked the forecast so I was completely unprepared for the weather conditions! I could have bought an umbrella, but lets face it from the train stop to the Lincoln Memorial the damage had been done; I was destined to be drenched all day! Rain or shine it was a great ice breaker and an exciting opportunity to check out the main historical attractions in the Greater DC area! I am looking forward to starting my class and my internship next week! Until then I am going to be a tourist; floral shirt and camera around my neck!