Not many people can say they’ve lived directly across the street from the United States Supreme Court. Not many can claim their daily workouts included jogging on the National Mall, which passes The Capitol and the Washington Monument.
It’s likely that many students haven’t visited America’s capital, but the opportunity is there for San Diego State students.
Washington, D.C. is home to international lobbyists, prestigious memorials, the federal government and the most powerful man in the world.
During Fall 2006, I embarked on a national internship with a lobbying firm in a suburb of Virginia. I still remember when the taxi dropped me off at the steps of my new residence on Constitution Avenue. I could see the windows of Sen. Barack Obama’s office as I turned to pay the driver. It was heaven for a political science buff.
The internship
I interned for a relatively small but potent public relations firm. My duties included collecting information from members of Congress, distributing packets in Congress, extensive research on specified issues and attending committee meetings.
One memorable day, Sen. John Kerry literally bumped into me while exiting a meeting he attended. Also, unbeknownst to me, I was once sitting directly next to one of the most famous political figures in California history, former Governor Pete Wilson. Sen. Diane Feinstein once complimented me on my belt buckle, needless to say I was elated. These are some of the most influential people in the world at arms length.
Every Monday night I trekked to my night class at Marymount University. I enrolled in a constitutional law course taught by a divorce attorney. The course was interactive and challenging, but thankfully only once a week. In class I met students from across the country, yet predominantly from the East Coast.
Prior to class on Monday’s, all interns were required to attend either a speech or guided tour. We toured various Assemblies to the U.S., the Pentagon and heard from speakers such as a former press secretary to the president. Our weeks were consistently packed with fresh events.
The fun factor
Nightlife in the District puts Gaslamp and PB to shame. Every Metro stop has an abundance of clubs, bars and restaurants which cater to all cultures and tastes. Adams Morgan is extremely popular for students of American and George Washington universities. Georgetown University students stay nearby with their own echelon of nightclubs. Chinatown, by the MCI Center and the White House, is popular for older sophisticates.
I met so many intelligent and ambitious people from all over the country during my stay. I highly recommend an internship to Washington, D.C. to anyone interested in law, politics, public relations or media.
Whether you’re for CNN, the White House or the Department of Defense, there are internships in Washington, D.C. for you.
Visit twc.edu to find out more about the internship at The Washington Center.
